
""Ra 

Book— x- 



tf< 






I 




THE AUTHOR " A LA KANSAS. 



THE 



CS 




lar iu Kansas 



A ROUGH TRIP TO THE BORDER, 



NEW HOMES AND A STRANGE PEOPLE. 



G. DOUGLAS BKEWERTOIST, 

AUTHOR OF " A RIDE WITH KIT CARSON," " INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL IN NEW MEXICO, 
" ROUGHING IT IN THE BUFFALO COUNTRY," " CAMP FIRE YARNS," ETC. 



" Gentlemen, it's a very pretty quarrel as it stands." 




NEW YORK : 
DERBY & JACKSON, 119 NASSAU STREET. 

CINCINNATI :— II. W. DERBY. 

1856. 

7.L' 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 185$, by 

DERBY & JACKSON, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the U. S. for the Southern District of New York. 



f^l 



W. H. Tins >n, S ereotyper. George Russell & Co., Printers, 



®0 

KIT CARSON, 

The " Mountain-Man " and Guide, with whom we have traversed the 
wilds of the Rocky Mountains, and the sun-scorched sands of the Ameri- 
can desert, this work is dedicated, as an evidence of the sincere regard 
which is entertained for him, both as a voyageur and as a man, by his old 
comrade, 

THE AUTHOR. 



PREFACE. 



We are about to write what nobody reads — a Preface. Did you 
ever, kind reader, see a young mamma in all the flutter and anxiety 
of adorning her " latest production " for its first appearance upon 
some public promenade? for if you have, you may the more fully 
appreciate our trepidation in sending this youngster, all unattended, 
into the world, to court the smiles of those crabbed old fellows, the 
critics, and win, if we be lucky, its " little meed of fame," from that 
no less difficult class to please — " our readers." But to carry out the 
simile, let us suppose the "infant phenomenon" aforesaid — not ours 
but the anxious mamma's — to be ugly by nature— in short, as peevish, 
squalling, ill-behaved, and unbearable a brat as ever pulled "grand- 
pa's" hair or screamed lustily after midnight — to how great an 
extent then are our young matrons perplexities increased as she " fusses 
and fixes," scolds "nurse" and soothes "baby;" and where, let us ask, 
will you find a more ill-tempered or naturally repulsive original pro- 
duction than this very unpromising offspring of Pro-Slavery and 
Free Soil, which we are about to exhibit under the somewhat hack- 
neyed title of "The War in Kansas." Yet though the words fall 
wearily, like a thrice-told tale, upon your ear, we flatter ourself 
that there are some new truths to be found upon these pages, for 
there is an inner life in all great events — and who shall doubt the 



VI PREFACE. 

celebrity of the Wakarusa "War ? — an under-current of adventure and 
character, and it is in this tide that we have preferred to go-a-whal- 
ing for such incidents as appeared likely to be most interesting to 
the reader. 

Nor can we charge ourself with neglecting those more important 
events — with the causes which lead thereto — that have been land- 
marks in the progress of this much-talked-of campaign. Oh, no ; we 
have done our duty by the " Gradgrinds " in writing up the facts 
as we present them to you, in the shape of His Excellency 
Governor Shannon's statement on the one side, and that of the 
Free Soil leader, Major-General Eobinson, upon the other, with all 
such documents as may seem necessary to a full understanding of the 
same. So having been thus faithful to the substantiate of the war, 
by putting in such heavy blocks as these, we have ventured to relieve 
the sternness of the whole by the lighter, yet no less truthful, adorn- 
ments of "Squire Portly and his dame," "our friend Major Eam- 
rod," "the Hard Shell Baptist Preacher," "Deacon Graves," and 
"Old Man Ehymer," for whose peculiar eccentricities we would 
respectfully refer you to the chapters of this book. 

And as a finale to our Preface, we assure the reader that we 
are upon neither side of this unhappy quarrel, between those who, 
united as they are by one common bond of national brotherhood, 
ought to be the best of friends. On the contrary, we have gazed 
upon the Kansas difficulties as the old lady did when she put on her 
spectacles to see her husband fight the bear — on which occasion (to 
quote from that venerable woman's narrative of the combat just 
alluded to), " she allowed sometimes that she'd drainer see thar old 
man whip, and then agin she felt fur thar bar ; but bimeby, when 
they wor a goin' it strong, she didn't bother much about it, till 
toward thar last, an then it jest seemed as ef she didn't kear a dern 
which licked so long as she seed thar fight." 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

OFF TO THE WAR. 

PAGS 

The Second "Edishun" — A Sudden Resolution — Ways and Means — An Interview with 
the Herald — Its Result — Hatchet Face — Up the River — Railroad Moralizing — The 
Canada Side— A Drunken Orator— Yankee versus Darkey— The Red-Nosed Man, . 13 

CHAPTER II. 

INCIDENTS BY THE WAY. 

Balance all— The Night Train— Squashtown— Alton and St. Louis— Smashup and Co- 
Doing a Traveller— At the Planters'— The Mud Cart— The Ten— The Dutch Stage- 
Agent— A Row for Two— The City-Marshal — We Conquer, 26 

CHAPTER III. 

A HARD ONE FOR THE AUTHOR. 

Winter Scenery— Ribs and Sides— A dog-gaun Bad Place— Smashed up— The Way- 
side Station — An Upset — Save the Ladies — Drunken Drivers, 39 



CHAPTER IV. 

OLD MAN RHYMER AND A BOONSVILLE HOTEL. _ 

Old Man Rhymer's— The ' shicken " Fight— Chicken versus Hog— The Lumber Wagon 
— Six Old Blind Mares — Boonsville — A Roarer of a Fire — Our Sanctum — Another 
Detainer — Nigger Jim, 47 

CHAPTER V. 
from "our correspondent" en route. 
A very old Soldier— Our Possible Obituary— Pumping a Down-Easter — A Cute Yankee 
Trick — A Friend and Brother — Mr. Magee's Nigger — Fighting Cajsar, . . .51 

CHAPTER YI. 

OUR VIRGINIAN FRIEND ON SLAVERY. 

A Fresh Start— A Southerner on Slavery— Slave Marriages— Uncle Tom— All about the 
Niggers— Miss Dinah— A Log-Cabin Interior— Rough Sketches— Something from 
New Hampshire— A border Ruffian— Miss Precise— Bedlam— The peace-maker, . 64 



V1H CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VII. 

LEXINGTON. 

PAGE 

Beating the Mail — Gas— Strickler's Aide-de-camp — Parson Clarke— The Free-State 
General — Items — Clarke, alias P — A Terrible Alternative— Off the Track — Free 
soilP, 77 

CHAPTER VIII. 

TREATS OF THINGS KELIGIOUS AND SECULAR. 

Friend Broad-brim — Henry Clay Insulted — The Arrest — An Independent Volunteer — 
Sunday in Lexington — The Groaners — Parson Jones and Deacon Graves — A Hard- 
shell Discourse— Keards and such like, 87 

CHAPTER IX. 

OUR AUTHOR ENTERS KANSAS. 

The Funny Side—" Droppin' " a Stage-driver— The Gruff Voice— A Solemn Fact— Hog 
crazy — Westport — A Generous Offer— We enter Kansas — Whipped either Way, . 96 

CHAPTER X. 

THE SHAWNEE MANUAL LABOR SCHOOL. 

Massa Johnson — A Dubersome Donkey — The Mission Farm — The Shawnee Reserve — 
Red-skins at School — Copper-colored Youngsters — The Little Arapahoe — Amalga- 
mation — Shawnee Belles, 105 

CHAPTER XL 

RED-SKINS AND INDIAN YARNS. 

Drunk-in-a-Blanket — Indian Eccentricities — Major Ramrod's Adventure — Beauty 
unadorned — Outraged Diffidence — Hard to Swallow — Ducking a Baby — Crying 
Babies, 114 

CHAPTER XII. 

NEWS-HUNTING IN WESTPORT. 

Kit Carson— Aubrey— Secret Military Organization— The Sheriff's Invitation— The 
Lion of the Evening, 122 

CHAPTER XIII. 

WE JOURNET TO LSCOMPTON. 

Good-bye to Westport— The Solitary Grave— Snow-clad Prairies— Bean's Hotel — 
Franklin— Interesting to Emigrants— Facts and Figures— The Promised Land — 
Lecompton — New Friends, 127 

CHAPTER XIV. 

HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE. 

Threatening;— A Late Visitor— Shooting at a Doctor— The Guarded House— A Deplor- 
able Transaction— The Barber Homicide— Major Clarke's Statement, . . . 137 



CONTENTS. ix 

CHAPTER XV. 

THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE AT SHAWNEE MISSION. 

PAGE 

The Gubernatorial Mansion— Most Particularly Democratic— The Secretary of State — 
Judge Lynch's Court-house — The Origin of the Bowie-knife, 144 

CHAPTER XVI. 

THE PRO-SLAVERY SIDE OF THE KANSAS WAR. 

Growing Serious — Hickory Point Difficulties — Buckley's Affidavit — Hargis's Affidavit 
— Hargis's Affidavit Continued — Irritating Causes— Sheriff Jones' Affidavit — Sheriff 
Jones' Affidavit Continued — John P. Wood's Statement — The Absentee, . . . 149 

CHAPTER XVII. 

GOVERNOR SHANNON'S HISTORY OF THE WAKARUSA WAR. 

A Modest Request — Three Thousand against Forty — An Unorganized Militia— The 
Gathering of the Clans — Shannon's Call to Arms — Shannon's Army Outnumbered, . 159 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

CONTAINS A DIGRESSION BY THE GOVERNOR. 

Why Missouri Crossed the Border — Governor Shannon's Policy — A very Irish Gentle- 
man—The Fire-eaters— A bad Position at the Best— The Ship of State— Warlike 
Preparations — Shannon Telegraphs the President — Colonel Sumner Makes a Sug- 
gestion — Shannon Adopts the Suggestion — Instructions to Sheriff Jones — Richard- 
son and Jones — The President Promises Aid — A Crisis is at Hand — The Crisis gets 
Nearer, . 165 

CHAPTER XIX. 

THE GOVERNOR CONTINUES HIS NARRATIVE. 

Shannon is off to the War — Shannon in the Camp — Shannon has Two Objects — 
Shannon's Army Will Not be Restrained — Shannon Outwits his Men — The Black 
Flag — Shannon Enters Lawrence — Moments are Hours — The Besieged Won't Sur- 
render—Shannon as a Peace-maker— Orders from Head-quarters, .... ISO 

CHAPTER XX. 

GOVERNOR'S NARRATIVS CONTINUED — THE TREATY. 

Things Look Badly— Everybody Satisfied and Nobody Pleased— Shannon Concludes a 
Treaty— Shannon Disbands his Army— Exeunt Omnes— Shannon Assisted by the 
Elements— Shannon Signs a Certain Paper— We ask an Explanation— Shannon 
Explains— Why we Asked— Two Good Reasons— Our Correspondent's Christmas, . 191 

CHAPTER XXI. 

CHRISTMAS IN KANSAS. 

Seasonable— A Mysterious Epistle— Happy Children— The Ghost of Christmas Past— 
A Political Dialogue— A Negro Standard Bearer— A Body-guard of Slaves— Kansas 
Emigration from the South— Colonel Buford's scheme— Judge Cato on the Territory 
—Religious and Unexceptionable— E. B. Bell and Ho for Kansas !— A Slight Mistake 
—Shooting the Wrong Man .203 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

LIFE AT THE MISSION*. 

FAGS 

An Odd Fish— The Preliminary horn— Making an Effort — The Eastern Mail— A 
Kansas Night-mare — Our Funny Little Friend, 217 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

COLEMAN'S NARRATIVE. 

A Visit from Coleman — Coleman Settles at Hickory Point — Coleman Quarrels with 
Branson — White's Cabin Burnt — Branson and Dow Threaten Coleman — Coleman 
Driven from his Claim — Coleman Arms Himself — Coleman Kills Dow — Coleman 

Gives Himself Up — Coleman Declines Being a Justice, 223 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

FOR LAWRENCE DIRECT. 

Our Over-dressed Companion — The old Priest — The Silent Blessing — Bad News for the 
Major — An Attempt to fire Clarke's Dwelling— Lynch Law Threatened — For Dream- 
land Direct, 233 

CHAPTER XXV. 

NEW TEAR'S EVE BY A LOG-CABIN HEARTH. 

New Year's Eve in the Wilderness — A Sweet Sunshiny Face — Pen-and-ink Portraits — ■ 
The Resigned Lieutenant — Political Advice Gratis — The Jolly Man's Story — An Anec- 
dote of Aaron Burr — A Western Amazon — Killing at Both Ends — Ole Man Parson's 

fight— Getting Even by a Double Entry, 240 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

OUR NEW TEAR'S CALL. 

New Year's Day— Falling Weather— Down and Laughed at — A Grocery Group — We 
Show our Breeding — A Free-State Settler's Home — A New-England Wife and Baby 
— Less Talk and More Work — The Cincinnati House — Our Landladies — Miss Char- 
ity—Long Sweetening, 251 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

THE BALL. 

A Political Free and Easy— The Free-State Executives — Frontier Full Dress— A Kan- 
sas Ball Room — Playing on the Wash-board, 263 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

THE HEROINES OF THE WAR. 

The Fat One entei-s — A Chat with the Ladies — The Free-State Heroine — Bustling Times 
—A Killing Petticoat— Loaded to Go Off— Old Sally and Her Driver— Swelled Out 

Awful, * .... 268 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

THE FREE-STATE SIDE OF THE QUESTION. 

We Define our Position— Truth and Brevity— The Main Points— Seven in a Bed— A 
Rough and Tumble Set— Bercaw's Free-State Statement— The Hickory Point Resolu- 



CONTENTS, XI 

Kw.K 

tions — A Good and Fair Christian— A Touch of the Brogue — Nullifiers, Scamps, and 
Rottens— Bowie-knives, Pistols, and Whisky— Missouri at the Kansas Polls— The 
Romuluses of Kansas— The so-called Bogus Legislature— So Mote it be— The Two Who 
Didn't Fight — Pawnee, 276 

CHAPTER XXX. 

THE FREE-STATE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. 

From the Very Best Authority — A Free-State History of the War— General Robinson 
Counsels Prudence— The Free-State Kansas Volunteers— The Free-Soilers Seek Aid 
— The Governor Smiles upon Lawrence — Missouri is Satisfied without Fighting — 
Shannon Meets the Ladies — General Robinson Consents — Robinson is Lionized, . 293 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

THE HEROES OF THE WAR. 

A Brilliant Incident of the War — Major Blank of the Free-State Volunteers — Yankee 
Wit versus Missouri Sagacity— The Stranger Steps in to Drink — Yankee Wit in a 
Fix— The Border Ruffians Help Yankee Wit— Yankee Wit is Much Obliged— A 
Darned Mean Yankee Trick — Mr. Miller's Free-State Statement — What Sharpe's 
Rifles Cost in Lawrence, 308 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

HIS HONOR JUDGE PORTLY. 

A Prairie Home — An Impromptu Journey — Squire Portly and his Dame — That Peart 
Gal Wetumpky — The Missourians Prescribe Hanging — Squire Portly gets the 
Heaves— The Shooting of Thomas W. Barber— Robert F. Barber's Statement — Bar- 
ber's Last Words— The flight, 813 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

A VISIT TO THE WIDOW BARBER. 

A Sudden and Tranquil Departure — By Whom Was He Killed? — Doctor Squills 
enjines Takin' Kear— Peirson's Account of the Fight— He is Dead— The Desolated 
Home — A Sincere Mourner — The Only Victim of the War — A Heart-rending Scene, 823 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

A SNOWY NIGHT IN A SETTLER'S CABIN. 

A Rather Dangerous Excursion— Captain Jack Quarter— Blowing Great Guns— Boots 
and all— A Blessed Apparition— Our Blue Umbrella Tent— Gracias a Dios, . . 832 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

FREE-STATE FACTS. 

General James n. Lane — The Brigadier's Antecedents — Lucky Lane — Kansas Scrip — 
The Free-State Propagandists — A Kansas Volunteer's Commission — A Kansas 
Volunteer's Discharge — 0, Deary Me !— The Rival Tickets — Loaves and Fishes — So 
Endeth the Circular 880 



Xll CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

THE SEBASTOPOL OF THE WEST. 



PiOK 

Lawrence and its Defences — What is and is to be — The Eldridge House — Shoot but 
take Good Aim — An Arkansas Yarn — Pine Knot Jake — A Very Pressing Invitation 
— The Bully Seems to Triumph — The Tables Turned — Mr. Chowler Favors the Com- 
pany — The Borderer Backs Down — The Gambling Man — The Screamer No. 3, . 350 

CHAPTER XXXVII. 

LAWRENCE IN A MILITARY POINT OF VIEW. 

Can Lawrence be Taken — The Bluff near Lawrence — Military Engineering— Sheriff 
Jones a Good Samaritan — Later from the Seat of War — What may be — The Free- 
State Leaders to the President — By Order of the President — Marcy to Shannon — 
Instructions to Colonels Sumner and Cooke — Jefferson Davis to Governor Shannon — 
From the Governor of Indiana— Sensible and to the Point — Highly Creditable to its 
Author — A Trifling Mistake Somewhere — The First Legislature of Kansas — Official 
List of the Members — Citizenship of the Bogus Legislature, 863 

CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

FREE-STATE ODDS AND ENDS. 

Lawrence by Comparison — A Pro-Slavery Squatter's Claim — The Free-Soilers' Loca- 
tion — Free-State Amusements — We Determine to Leave Kansas — A Free-Soil Meet- 
ing — The Circumstance — Adding Insult to Injury — A Pro-Slavery Notice to Quit — 
What's in the Wind?— Newspapers in Kansas — Kickapoo Volunteers, . . .881 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 

LAST LINES. 

A Barnum, but no Humbug — What Kansas Needs — Barking but not Biting Dogs — A 
Lunatic Asylum for Demagogues — The Border Ruffian's Better Half— Rough but no 
Ruffian— The Momentous Question, 893 



jtKXthtll. 



THE 



¥AE IN KANSAS. 



CHAPTER I. 

OFF TO THE WAR. 

Tuesday, December Uh y 1855. — Ding — dong — ding, three 
o'clock by old Trinity — it rang out just as we turned into the 
Broadway artery of that human tide which is ever flowing 
through our great metropolis — three by the wintry sun — three 
by the Banks — three by old Trinity — and as we listened to the 
tones of that iron tongue, which marks the burial of the dead 
hours — far above the roar of Wall-street Bulls and Bears, not 
to mention the clatter of conflicting omnibuses — we fell into a 
meditative mood, and paced the sloppy pavements leisurely. 

Of what we were thinking upon that memorable afternoon, 
we are not at this particular moment prepared to state : but 
certain it is that our mental train met with an obstacle, and ran 
off the track instanter, to the great detriment, not to say 
destruction, of some four-score promising " castles in the air," 
exploded by the collision. 

And the obstacle ? most gentle reader — was a Newsboy — 
who had startled our ears with the curt announcement of 



14 THE SECOND " EDISHUN." 

11 Here 's the New York 'Erald — second edishua — got the 
Great War in Kansas." 

The " Great War in Kansas ?" what could it mean ? We 
had heard of the "Dorr War," the "Anti-Rent War," the 
" Erie Pea-nut War," and even of that stirring strife of which 
the poet has so beautifully sung, 

" SEBASTOPOL AIN'T TAKEN YET, 
Pop goes the Weasel." 

But the Kansas War — that was something new ! So we 
slackened our pace, pondered for a moment, got our mental 
locomotive on the track again, was " struck with an idea," but 
without receiving any material injury, and then halted outright, 
and whistled up the Newsboy, who straightway answered to the 
call, in the shape of a diminutive young biped, with a frosty 
nose, a very shrill voice, and a pair of patent ventilating panta- 
loons, which exhibited a suspicion of dingy-colored linen in their 
• rear. Add to these, a huge bundle of papers under the left 
arm, and a brace of "specimen numbers" in the extended right 
hand, and you have a sketch " from the life," done at sight, of 
that very nondescript animal — a New York Newsboy. 

" Here's the 'Erald, sir — second edishun," squeaked the shrill 
voice. 

We satisfied ourself that there was something from Kansas 
(for we want confidence in the whole race of Newsboys — the 
patent-improved sort not excepted), and then, in the agitation 
of the moment, disbursed half a dime, at the same time grasping 
a paper, without asking for the change. When we recovered 
ourself, the vender of recent intelligence had vanished like a the- 
atrical ghost ; the dirty linen aforesaid, being the last object 
visible as he shot round a neighboring corner. 

And now for the news, was our mental ejaculation ; for if 
there be no compensation in the " second edishun," we are minus 



A SUDDEN RESOLUTION. 15 

five cents, federal currency, and grossly deceived to boot. So 
we turned down the paper, found the " very latest by telegraph," 
pressed our beaver more firmly upon our brow, and then re- 
treated from the vortex of a jostling crowd into the shelter of a 
friendly doorway, to read, in greater quietness, the following 
paragraph : — 

"BY TELEGRAPH. 
" Call from the Governor for United States Troops. 

"St. Louis, Dec. 3, 1855. 
"Accounts from Kansas state that Governor Shannon has telegraphed 
to the President, concerning the present condition of affairs in that Terri- 
tory. He says that one thousand men have arrived in Lawrence, and res- 
cued a prisoner from the sheriff of Douglas County, and burned some 
houses and other property. He asks the President to order out the troops 
at Fort Leavenworth, to aid in the execution of the laws. 

"Dispatches from Weston arrived here to-day by express, bringing 
startling news from Atchinson. Some Free State officers had taken pos- 
session of important papers, and an attack upon Atchinson was anticipated. 
A messenger had been sent to Weston for fifty armed men." 

We read no more, but turned upon our heel and rammed the 
11 second edishun " into our great-coat pocket, with an emphasis 
which bespoke a determination on our part to do " something 
energetic, and that soon." And it was even so, for in that 
instant of time we had made up our minds to go to Kansas, 
partly because we wished to see the row, not as through a glass, 
darkly (meaning the medium of printers' ink), but with our own 
unspectacled eyes — yea, even as the Big Spring Free State Dele- 
gate Convention expresses it — " to a bloody issue," but most of 
all because we wanted a change — the comforts of civilization 
had begun to weary us — we longed for a rougher life — for 
Prairie air and Border freedom ; in a word, to sum our case up 
briefly, we didn't know when we were well off, and pined for an 
alteration for the worse. " Westward ho !" cried our first 
impulse, and we yielded — of course we did — for we always 



16 WAYS AND MEANS. 

make it a point, unless we can't help ourself, to " treat our incli- 
nations." Yes, we confess it, for, like Tony Lumpkin, of " the 
Three Jolly Pigeons " notoriety, although we might have disap- 
pointed the dear public, and spared the book-stalls the infliction 
of a new volume on Kansas — nay, have even most respectfully 
declined to play historian to the far-famed Wakarusa war — we 
" couldn't bear to disappoint ourself." 

But how to go ? ah ! there was the rub. It costs money to 
travel, and we, alas ! so far as temporal goods are concerned, 
suffer but little from taxation. It requires time, too (unless, 
indeed, as the Irishman expressed it, u one could verify the revolu- 
tion of the earth by sitting down 'upon the ground, and letting the 
" counthries " come round to him in succession), and time, in 
this waking world, is money. So it was with a purpose that we 
turned our hasty steps towards the office of the New York 
Herald, for we had a pecuniary problem to cipher out, and the 
prime minister of the " Satanic Press" was just the man to lay 
down its premises. What wonder then that fifteen minutes' time 
found us in the editorial sanctum sanctorum of Bennett's paper — 

where with Mr. H , its senior editor (in big whiskers and an 

arm-chair), for a vis-a-vis, we proceeded to unfold our wishes and 
set forth our very modest expectations. 

We thought there would be "wars and rumors of wars " in 
Kansas. The Herald got all the news — the Herald must there- 
fore be posted upon Kansas— ergo, the Herald would require a 
correspondent — a special one, in those far regions. And a " War 
Correspondent" to boot. And who (we diffidently inquired), 
was better fitted for this arduous position than ourself ? Had 
we not scribbled for the Herald, written articles for Harper, 
and moreover been " a man-of-war," while in the service of that 
stingy old curmudgeon — Uncle Sam. In view of all these cir- 
cumstances, we made bold to talk up our stock, clinching the 
whole with the insinuation, that the New York Herald might 



AX INTERVIEW WITH THE HERALD. It 

do itself an injustice, by not ordering us to Kansas instanter. In 
fine, we retired at the expiration of a fifteen minutes' interview, 

with the blessed assurance that Mr. H would take the matter 

into consideration, and give us a final answer upon the morrow — 
at noon. 

We will spare you a recital of the astonishment with which 
our friends received the intelligence that we might start next day 
for Kansas — to be gone for an indefinite length of time — suffice 
it to say that we "attended to our sleeping" that night, for it 
seemed just possible that it might be our last chance in bed 
before reaching a frontier log-cabin. 

High noon of December the 5th found us again closeted with 

Mr. H of the Herald. He " didn't think the war would 

amount to much — he regarded it as a move to make political 
capital for Whitfield or Reeder at Washington. In short he 
believed the whole affair to be a ' Barnum ' — alias humbug, of the 
most unmitigated kind. Here was a pretty state of things — if 

Mr. H didn't believe in the war, it would be no go with us 

— so we set to work, with a will, to correct these very erroneous 
impressions. Well, we argued the matter pro and con, and Mr. 
H finally asked us to reduce the thing to figures, by saying, 

" How much ?" 

" We mentioned a sum — it was satisfactory." 

" When will you start V 

" By the first conveyance." 

" When can you get there ?" 

11 As* soon or sooner than the mail." 

" Yery well ; this letter will accredit you as our correspondent. 
Here Mr. H sat down and wrote us the following : 

"Herald Office, New York, Dec. 5, 1855. 
"My Dear Sir: 

If circumstances permit, I would like to have you leave this 
afternoon for Kansas Territory, to act as the correspondent of the New 



18 ITS RESULT. 

York Herald. In addition to the important political events that may take 
place, and of which you will furnish us with the particulars, I would sug- 
gest that you send us full information of the agricultural and industrial 
progress of the new territory and people. I shall hope to hear from you 

in a week or ten days. 

Very truly yours, 

F H 

for James G. Bennett. 
G. Douglas £retoerto?i, Esq." 

In addition to this "letter of instructions," we were kindly 
provided by a very popular Ex-Senator, with a brace of 
introductory epistles to the " distinguished consideration " of 
Governor Shannon and Senator Atchinson. By this time the 
advent of one o'clock reminded us that Time and steamboats 
wait for no man, and that if we meant to leave that evening we 
had better be going. So we made our adieu to the ministering 
angels (?) of the Herald, with many a hearty prayer (not to 
mention some expressions of incredulity), as touching our safe 
return ; and then went forth to make the necessary prepara- 
tions for a trip to the seat of war in Kansas. 

And now as we can't plead the old-fashioned apology 
" excuse haste and a bad pen " — we will simply beg your mercy, 
if want of space should jolt our style into the Doe-sticks or 
railroad order. En avant ! then, let us progress — even though 
it be at high-pressure speed — so follow us, good people, if 
you can. 

We plunged into Broadway — met a shop with flaring glass 
windows — be-lettered from top to toe in many hued-capitals, 
setting forth the names of cities and places to an extent which 
might have induced the bewildered spectator to hazard a sup- 
position that the " man inside " must have begun his travels at 
an early age, and kept on until he had mastered the geography, 
got over the maps, and bothered the terrestrial globes. We 
"limbered up" accordingly, and straightway concluded that if 



HATCHET FACE. 19 

the proprietor of this establishment didn't sell tickets to St. 
Louis, which (as everybody ought to know) is the first long step 
to Kansas, nobody else did ; so we dived in — violated the sanc- 
tity of the railed pen-marked " no admittance behind the coun- 
ter" — met a hatchet-faced man, with keen eyes, a faint mous- 
tache and consumptive-looking whiskers to match — told hatchet- 
faced man that we wanted to go to St. Louis, and required 
information — found hatchet-faced man polite, with a very glib 
tongue, or, as Samuel Weller, senior, of the " Belle Sauvage," 
would have expressed it — with " the gift of the gab werry gal- 
loping." Indeed, we had barely intimated that we wanted to go 
West, when he opened his mouth, and out came such a Niagara 
of words, that we were fairly swept away by the torrent, and 
listened patiently per force ; for, in less time than it takes to 
write it, Hatchet Face had put us in possession of all the " favo- 
rable facts " connected with five separate lines, or thereabouts, 
for which he was the sole agent ; and, strange to relate, 
(if Hatchet Face spoke the truth ; and being a railroad agent, 
he could by no means have done otherwise), these five different 
and differing lines had each and all one most uncommon simi- 
larity, inasmuch as there was no one of them that didn't save 
the traveller who had the good fortune to pursue that particu- 
lar route, a "mint of money," — "without possibility of colli- 
sion," or " missing of connections," and put him through in 
" five hours less time than by any other track," with fewer changes 
of cars, and (as a Scottish landlord says when the bill of fare 
is exhausted), just anything else you please. In fine, we never 
knew before, or since, how delightfully easy it had become to 
travel westward ; we even found ourself embarrassed by the 
multiplicity of advantages, until in our perplexity we had almost 
determined upon putting all the lines — no — their " prospectuses" 
we mean — into our hat, and taking the first drawn out at a ven- 



20 UP THE RIVER. 

ture. So, trusting to luck, we said " The Suspension Bridge 
and Canada, via Detroit, and the Illinois Central" — paid our 
money, receiving, as a " certificate of deposit," a little package 
of tickets curiously stamped, countersigned and hung together, 
and withal so wondrously enveloped that the whole affair 
resembled a diminutive billet-doux. Being thus accredited to 
the road, we shot out of the office, bade Hatchet Face a hasty 
adieu, and wended our way to Bolen's, where we purchased pow- 
der, caps, and balls ; then stationery — quite a wholesale lot — 
was to be procured ; and finally we discussed the relative merits 
of divers and sundry carpet-bags with a shrewd old Yankee, 
who took our measure at a glance, and suited us with an article 
which we will make bold to say has held more manuscript than 
any other single specimen of all its leathern kith and kin. 

Ding, dong, ding — three o'clock again — we " broke like a 
quarter-horse " for our residence in Brooklyn, where we spent 
the hours until five P. M. in packing up, bidding good-bye, 
and writing "last lines" generally. Six P. M. found us on 
board one of those " floating palaces" (when they are clean), 
a North River steamboat, and fairly under weigh. 

Nine hours through the dark water, cleaving our way beneath 
the giant shadows of the dusky hills that walled in our steamer's 
trackless path, brought us to that most unromantic of all com- 
monplace localities, the Albany dock; then came a hotel, sought 
out amid the darkness of a gloomy winter's morning ; and then 
a breakfast, served up with all that overplus of hospitality 
which is only to be had at so much per day — a meal, to be eaten 
in haste, with your loins girded, which in our case meant an 
overcoat and a many-hued worsted comforter. And then we 
sallied forth to view the railroad train for Buffalo, and pick out 
the passenger-car next to the last, in which (as we had been 
caught in a railroad smash up before), we selected a seat whicji 



RAILROAD MORALIZING. 21 

seemed safer than the rest ; that is to say, it was " convenient" 
to the door, with a window opposite, which might be kicked out 
at short notice upon an emergency. 

And permit us to inform you, friend reader, as we go, that 
there is — accidents excepted — a deal of fun in railroading it. 
For, if we remember aright, it was Mr. Pope, or some other 
behiud-the-age worthy, who declared that, 

" The proper study of mankind is man." 

Now had Mr. Pope known human nature better, he would have 
recommended woman. But if man — or for that matter, woman 
either — be the prescribed course, and mankind the pupil, we can 
suggest no better school than a first-class passenger-car ; for 
there is to us something really refreshing in the frankness with 
which the genus homo throws off even the affectation of unselfish- 
ness when he leaves his own peculiar orbit to traverse the public 
highway. 

It is so easy, too, to classify the bipeds around you. There is 
the nervous man, who shivers at every blast of the steam-whistle, 
and hears an " awful catastrophe " in the rush of an approach- 
ing train, which never fails to conjure up a vision of broken 
legs and arms, and, it may be, a coroners inquest in the pros- 
pective. To this class we belong — for, in this respect, we are a 
person of terrible experiences. 

Then comes the obdurate man — he of the mulish temperament, 
who has ''paid for his rights, and means to get >ern"; who 
would see a woman " in that extremity " first, and her baby 
to boot, before he would budge either his precious body or his 
almost equally valuable valise. 

And then, there's the jolly man — your thorough-bred, gay, 
devil-may-care sort of fellow — funny by profession, and happy 
by habit — one of those deuced clever chaps, who would crack 
his joke at your nearest relative's funeral, just by way of " keep- 
ing up your spirits," or recommend " lemon-azV2 " to the young 



22 THE CANADA SIDE. 

lady who sits beside him at table, as a recompense ia full for 
having spoiled her new pattern dress — the only one of its kind 
— by upsetting his soup into her lap. 

And then there's — but we must stop moralizing, or we shall 
never get to Kansas. So let us shift the scene to the Niagara 
Suspension Bridge — Canada side — where we arrived about nine 
o'clock on the evening of the 6th. Here we were detained, 
while waiting for the departure of the Detroit train, which did 
not go out until some two hours later. But on reviewing our 
note-book, we natter ourself that we must have improved our 
time ; for our adventures — or rather those of our neighbors — 
while sojourning at Suspension Bridge, were " considerable if 
not more so." But they shall speak for themselves. 

Upon leaving the cars we wended our way into the dingy (at 
least by night-light) depot, and finally penetrated to the yet 
more comfortless eating-room, where a dirty-looking supper stood 
waiting for customers at fifty cents per head. Here we sought, 
but searched in vain, for an unappropriated seat ; for though 
vacant chairs were plentiful, and likely to continue so, they were 
ranged for possible occupation about the supper aforesaid. 
But had we entertained any doubt upon this head, it would have 
been dispelled by the information which was tendered us " free 
gratis n by an officious waiter (in dirty slippers, and a dilapidated 
apron), to the effect that " if we didn't want to eat we mustn't 
move the chairs." So we were fain to wander forth from this 
inhospitable apartment into a crowded antechamber, warmed by 
an enormous stove (our particular abomination), and fairly 
reeking with filthy odors — those of frying tobacco-juice and half- 
smoked cigars predominating. 

As we edged our way through the throng, to get a little fresh 
air, our attention was attracted by a half-intoxicated enthusi- 
ast (a very " Hinglish " individual, by-the-way, in a rough top- 
coat, with an upper finish of Canadian fur-cap), who was amus- 



A DRUNKEN ORATOR. 23 

ing his auditors by an ultra free-soil harangue, which he deliv- 
ered in a somewhat boisterous, not to say incendiary, style. 
The following specimen will serve as an exponent of this ora- 
tion : 

" Gentlemen, we may be thankful, hold Hin gland may be 
proud hof 'er provinces. Yes, we hopeus hour harms to the 
hoppressed (hie). The miserable Hafrican (hie) flies from the 
American lash (hie) and finds a refuge in this hour (hie) land 
hof real hand huniversal liberty (hie)." 

Here the speaker paused, and throwing himself into an atti- 
tude, gazed round him with a drunken gravity, which seemed to 
say, " I wait for a reply ;" and verily the answer was at hand, 
for it came instanter, butt-end foremost, in the shape of an ex- 
cited Southerner, who had likewise been indulging too freely in 
the ''extract of the corn." 

" Stranger V said the new-comer — a very raw-boned gentle- 
man, in unmistakably home-made clothes — " Stranger ! yeou're 
a dog-gaun fool." 

We will draw a veil over the wordy war which succeeded this 
most unceremonious interruption. Suffice it to say, that it was 
ridiculous in the extreme. But as the disputants waxed wroth, 
and their conversation grew more decidedly personal, we wearied 
of their wrangling, and escaped to the comparative quiet of the 
cars "going West," which were still stationary, but now rapidly 
filling up. Here, at least, thought we, we shall hear nothing 
more sonorous than the long-drawn snore of some indigestion- 
haunted sleeper. But we " counted without our host," for we 
had not yet " got shet " (as the Missourians say) of the " nig- 
ger question." In fact, we had barely composed ourself for a 
traveller's nap, when an impertinent darkey came sauntering 
through the car, where he ordered about the passengers, and 
attempted to arrange their seats with such scanty ceremony, 
that the exhibition of his " little brief authority " — if authority 



24 YANKEE VERSUS DARKEY. 

it was — called forth some very energetic remonstrances from 
those whom he attempted to address. 

Among others, a choleric old Yankee, with a perfect sign- 
board of a nose, broke out thus : 

" What under the canopy do yeu mean ? By thunder, I guess 
yeu own this train ; jest tell us, will yeu, if yeou're a regular 
uigger, or have there been so many accidents on this road that 
the company thought best to put the conductors in mourning, 
and ordered you painted black accordingly ?" 

To this " call for information," the irate darkey returned no 
particular reply, beyond a general statement to the effect, that 
in Canada "all men were born free and equal," or, in other 
words, that a white man might be as good as a nigger, if he 
chose to exert himself. Now all this might have passed off un- 
noticed, if our darkey, in the bitterness of his heart, had not fin- 
ished his remarks by requesting his interrogator to proceed to 
the " unmentionable to ears polite," with all convenient speed. 
This was too much — the Yankee's blood was up — he grasped the 
poker — and we really believe that if the affrighted African had 
not vanished from the cars, without even a hesitation by the 
way, that poker would have " played Hail Columbia" (as our 
Yankee expressed it), upon his thick skulled pate ; but he de- 
parted ere his fate could 

" Point a moral or adorn a tale." 

and then as the train rolled out, the pugnacious Yankee thrust 
his huge paw into a great-coat pocket, and produced a worsted 
night-cap, whose hue rivalled the scarlet of its owner's " sign- 
board of a nose," with which he forthwith proceeded to envelop 
his head ; but in so comical a manner, that the tassel vibrated 
like a pendulum above the wearer's left eye, while the sympa- 
thetic optic kept winking and blinking as it moved. To com- 



THE RED-NOSED MAX. 25 

plete his preparations, our Yankee then turned over the seat 
back in front of him, so as to secure a very unfair share of body 
room ; and then, with his short legs elevated upon a cushion, 
and his night-capped head propped snugly against the window- 
blind, he settled himself to a slumber which we envied, but tried 
in vain to imitate. 



26 BALANCE ALL. 



CHAPTER II. 



INCIDENTS BY THE WAY. 



Ok, what a dreary thing is night travel upon a railroad — 
whiz — bang — jounce — a yell that might wake the dead — fifteen 
miles an hour — shake — shake — shake — balance all — thirty miles 
an hour — everything dancing — nervous old maid opposite in fits 
— stout gentleman vibrates up and down, as if his understanding 
was worked by springs — carpet-bags come jostling from their 
racks. " Got a cinder in your eye, sir V " Yes, dern the cin- 
der." " Blow your nose, then, and pull down the eyelid." " How 
the deuce am I to blow my nose, sir, when it 's almost knocked 
off by that last jump of this infernal car ?" 

Bang — crack — yell — forty miles an hour. 

Shu — shu — shu — shuing growing fainter — you are getting 
drowsy — shuing ceases — you have just dropped off — sudden 
shock — somebody shakes your elbow — you start from your re- 
cumbent posture, and rub your bewildered optics — an uncom- 
promising looking personage stands before you — you regard his 
coat, and the idea of a police-officer suggests itself — you con- 
template his legs, and believe him to be an out-door clerk — your 
fye wanders upward to his cap, and you discover your mistake 
— for the man is labelled like a medicine, which might be taken 
by mistake — yes, the magic word " Conductor" is fairly writ in 
characters of gold upon his hat-band, so that he who runs may 



THE NIGHT-TRAIN. 



27 



read, even at the rate of forty miles per hour. He is a man of 
few words withal, who knows you not as Governor A, or Gene- 
ral B, the gentleman who has written a book and figured in the 
newspapers, but simply as the man in the brown coat, who is 
going so many miles ; and must, therefore, pay the sum indicated 
by the Company's fare-table. Like poor Poe's raven, he has 
but one reiterated cry — 't is " ticket, sir," and 

"Nothing more." 

You draw down your beaver to shield your visual organs 
from the glare of the lantern, with which this implacable official 
is throwing some light upon your tickets (as he nips another 
hole, the sixth since you started, in them, with the little patent 
shoemaker's pincers which he carries in his right hand), or, it 
may be, is aiding the suspicious inspection of the circulating me- 
dium, which, in the innocence of your heart, you took confidingly 
from his brother employee, upon the " down train." You pay 
your money, and receive an oblong piece of paste-board, marked 
" Good to Blank, for this trip only," on one side, and labelled 
with the names of places which you never heard of, and dis- 
tances that you don't believe in, upon the other. You conclude 
your business with the conductor, and sink back into your place, 
where you strive in vain to compose yourself, but it won't do, 
for you are now thoroughly " waked up," and must wrestle 
fruitlessly with the drowsy god, who will not stay to bless you, 
until a brace of squeals from the locomotive, followed by a sud- 
den application of the brakes, brings the train gradually to a 
halt, when the coldest door is thrown open, and a "gruff voice" 
looks in, with the cry of " Squashtown — train stops twenty min- 
utes for refreshments." You are hungry and athirst ; you are 
young and inexperienced ; you anticipate great things from 
Squashtown ; you follow the crowd of half-famished bipeds, who 
rush out into the bleak night air ; you step upon the icy platform ; 



2S 



SQUASHTOWN. 



your heels go up aud your bead down ; you have a free ticket to 
the fireworks, you recover yourself, and begin to realize that 
you are a "stranger in a strange country," to which you may 
shortly add, " and they took me in." You look about you, are 
blinded by the glare of unexpected lights in extraordinary places, 
and almost deafened by the tintinnabulations of vociferous din- 
ner-bells, which are being frantically rung by anxious-looking 
landlords, who stand shivering before the entrances of various 
rival man-traps, marked " Refreshment Saloons." You still fol- 
low the crowd, you approach one of these competing establish- 
ments, you believe in the sign-board, you allow yourself to be 
humbugged, you enter with the throng, you sit down, or more 
frequently stand up, to a long table, or greasy counter, well 
covered with crockery, consisting of plates, containing a diminu- 
tive triangle of waxy, cold apple-pie each, pitchers of milk, and 
sugar-bowls, which suggest strange doubts as to the possibility 
of obtaining water in the Squashtown vicinity. There are 
cups too, that can be filled with a compound, styled coffee, at a 
York shilling per cup. You don't like cold apple-pie at mid- 
night, but you will take coffee ; a distracted waiter hears, and 
at length pays attention to your demand ; the coffee is produced ; 
did you observe that he served you with the dirty cup, which 
has just been emptied by your neighbor on the left ? You 
didn't ? Well, never mind ; but we will make our affidavit that 
you got something more than " sugar and cream " for one. 
Here comes your coffee, scalding hot ; don't like it, hey ? burnt 
your mouth, may-be ? " Why, waiter, I say, this isn't coffee, 
it's more like burnt peas ; give us a cup of tea." " Tea, sir ? 
yes, sir ! one shilling, sir 1 thank you, sir !" But the advent of 
the tea is marked by a yell of warning from the locomotive, a 
cry of " all aboard," and an exeunt omnes from your fellow-pas- 
sengers. You "follow suit," perforce, and resume your seat, a 
" sadder, if not a wiser man," for you are minus a quarter for 



ALTON AND ST. LOUIS. 29 

" refreshments," and plus — the vexation of being imposed 
upon. 

And so you go rushing along, with a shriek and a roar, across 
the night-shrouded landscape, waking the echoes of the frown- 
ing hills, and startling the slumberers in way-side bed-cham- 
bers, as the iron horse, with his great red eyes and iron sinews, 
drags on his quivering load — " faster — faster — faster." 

The morning of the Tth found ns in safety at Detroit, from 
whence we journeyed onward through chilly Michigan, until a 
"cut off" by rail brought us to the Illinois Central Railroad ; 
here we changed cars, and traversed the last-mentioned State, 
under the heavy disadvantages (so far as scenery was con- 
cerned), of a wet, dismal, sloppy day, with a stormy sky above, 
and a boggy, rain-drenched prairie below. What wonder then 
that we " blessed our stars" when it " cleared up cold," just as 
we were approaching the town of Alton, where the passenger 
for St. Louis shifts himself from the rattling train, to embark 
upon a wheezy, snorting, broken-winded steamboat, which labors 
on, in a succession of convulsive jerks, until you " tie up " beside 
the levee at St. Louis. 

As speed was everything, for, we wanted, if possible, to over- 
take the Kansas War, we did not intend to tarry in St. Louis, 
but " man proposes," and the facilities for travelling in Missouri 
" disposes," as the French proverb, does not say. So, after char- 
tering a boy, and lugging ourself through the mud to the Pacific 
Railroad depot, we found that it did not connect, and until the 
morrow nothing else did. Now this was bad enough, but it 
couldn't be helped, and we were therefore fain to put up at the 
" Planters," a good house once, that is to say eight years ago, since 
when it has bravely gotten over it. 

Here our first care was to descend to an office on the ground 
floor, situated in one corner of the building, where you cau buy 
tickets to go almost anywhere beneath "the glimpses of the 



30 SMASHUP & CO. 

moon," a second edition, in short, of our hatched-faced friends' in 
Broadway. But our business was no longer with railroad men ; 
we had got, alas ! to the "end of our tether,'' in that respect. 
We must now travel by stage, or not at all. It was therefore to 
find out a representative of the firm of Smashup, Breakdown 
& Co., stage-agents and proprietors, that we entered the 
" Planters " subterranean, and would that we had never found 
them, or, having found them, had never trusted ourself to 
their tender mercies. Hear us then, good travellers — hearken, 
we pray, and beware how you enter their office, (under the 
"Planters" in St. Louis), unless, indeed, you should be tired of 
this life, or, being obese, desire to be reduced in flesh. But 
listen to the facts, for we w r ere most egregiously " done, 11 and if 
Smashup, Breakdown & Company are not entitled to a " first- 
rate notice," we don't know who are — so here goes. 

It was on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 8th, that we entered 
their taking-in-trap for unsuspecting travellers — we saw Smashup 
— we intimated that we were a newspaper correspondent, who 
wanted, not a " free ticket," but reliable information as to the 
best and quickest route to the Kansas frontier. We were 
informed that the road to a certain place, which shall be name- 
less, was not more beguiling, nor more easily to be traversed 
than theirs from St. Louis to Fort Leavenworth — always sup- 
posing the pilgrim to have a through ticket from Smashup — we 
believed Smashup — we trusted him — Smashup was a man with 
iron-grey hair — or an approximation to it — he looked amiable — 
had a Christian expression of countenance — we would have lent 
Smashup five dollars (if we had it), on his face alone. In 
short, we let Smashup take us in. We asked the price of a 
ticket to Fort Leavenworth ? the answer (given in a most 
insinuating tone of voice), was only twenty-eight dollars — the 
distance is about three hundred and twenty miles, and the sum 
mentioned is exactly what our through ticket cost us from New 



DOING A TRAVELLER. 31 

York to St. Louis, Mo. " But," said the amiable Smashup, " as 
you are a representative of the press, we must- do something, so 
we will only charge you twenty-five dollars — in fact, sir," added 
the agent, with generous warmth — " we will make an exception, 
and deduct three dollars." Feeling that twenty-five dollars was 
quite enough, we made no objection, the more so as the 
Company charges only fifteen dollars for the return trip, over 
the same road. We accordingly disbursed the pecuniary con- 
sideration, and received iu return a homoeopathic card, whose 
inscription ran thus : 

" Stage ticket — good for this trip only, from St. Charles, 
(distant eighteen miles by railroad from St. Louis), to Fort 
Leavenworth. December 10th, 1855. S. S. Blank, agent." 

11 But what kind of stages are we to have, Mr. Smashup ?" 

" Good stages, sir, and careful drivers." 

" And the time ?" 

" We run night and day, and will put you through in four 
days from the date of your ticket. The omnibus will call for 
you on Monday morning. That will be your first chance to go." 

As we have said before, we believed in Smashup, so we pock- 
eted our ticket aud bade that amiable gentleman farewell, with- 
out even a foreboding that like that oft-quoted and juvenile 
bear — " all our sorrows were to come." 

Upon our return to the upper chamber of the " Planters," 
we learned that General Clarke of the United States Army was 
sojourning in the house, so, presuming upon an old introduction, 
and the fact that we were in pursuit of information — as regar- 
ded matters and things in general, and Kansas in particular — 
we took the liberty of sending up our " pasteboard" — and was 
soon after shown to his room. And a fine specimen is 
General Clarke of the hale, hearty old gentleman; he is moreover, 
in some respects, a soldier of the rough and ready — or 
may we not as well say at once of the American — school ? for 



32 AT THE " PLANTERS." 

few possess more of that wonderful desideratum (in this age of 
practical humbug), good, strong, hard, common sense. The 
general confirmed the statements which we had previously 
heard made, by those well qualified to judge, as to there being 
a sufficiency of United States troops then stationed in Kansas 
within striking distance of the scene of difficulty to put down 
any violations of law and order in the Territory. General 
Clarke, however, expressed the hope that so sad an ultimatum 
might never become necessary — as it should be the very last 
argument resorted to — to which we, as in duty bound, said a 
fervent amen. 

The following, from our journal of the 9th, is of that days' 
experience, all which seems worthy of being chronicled here. 

It blew here last night as if Old Boreas had left all his store-house 
doors open. Some of the boats on the river broke loose from their moor- 
ings. We hear, however, of no very serious damage being done. At 
Jefferson Barracks the brick and plaster work suffered considerably, and 
an officer who left there this morning, tells us that the parade-ground is 
littered with fragments of roofs, walls, porches, etc. "When the gale was at 
its height a fire-alarm was sounded — we turned out immediately, in a light 
undress, consisting of a shirt and drawers, without stockings, for, like the 
Hibernian at the Astor, we didn't even know that the hotel was insured, and 
Ave were quite positive that we were not. The fire, however, proved to be 
upon Fourth street, it having broken out in the interior of two small brick 
stores, where it was very wisely permitted to burn itself out. Apropos to 
fires, we will back the St. Louis Fire Department, even against the B'hoys 
who " run wid der mashine" in the Empire City, for making a " confusion 
worse confounded" upon these occasions, for, despite the howling of the 
storm we never heard such a " human rumpus" at a fire before. But perhaps 
it is as innocent a way of evaporating one's animal spirits as any other 
which could be devised — and far be it from us to interfere with the pleas- 
ures of the people. 

We have met to day, for the first time in three years, Avith our valued 
friend — Assistant Surgeon Joseph B. Brown of the Army — one of the best 
officers of his grade on the Medical Staff. We had been comrades upon 



THE MUD CART. 33 

the frontiers of Mexico, had ridden side by side, through many a weary 
mile of Texan chaparral, and broken commissary biscuit at the same table, 
amid the swamps on the head waters of the Los Moras. But our time for 
"comparing notes" was of the shortest, for we found that the Doctor was 
leaving that morning, with his " wife and bairns," for Old Point Comfort 
Ya. : from whence he was ordered to embark for service with the Ninth In- 
fantry in Oregon. May the Indians spare him. 
And so ends Sunday, December the 9th. 

We began our Monday by breakfasting at early dawn, and 
then getting into a chilly omnibus and driving in company with 
live miserable-looking beings (the whole party, ourself included, 
presenting the general appearance, as seen by the uncertain light 
of a bitter winter morning, of having been up all night), to the 
starting point of the North Missouri railroad— from whence an 
eighteen, or as some call it thirteen miles 1 ride, brought us to the 
Missouri river shore, just opposite the town of St. Charles, 
which we reached in due course of time, by a steam ferry-boat, 
whose exterior at least would have astonished a New Yorker to 
a very considerable degree. 

St. Charles, Mo., is, to our fancy, about the meanest town 
which it has yet been our misfortune to set foot in — being half 
French, three-quarters Dutch, and, as an Irishman would say, 
the other half " nigga." 

On our arrival here, we went to a "groggery" looking sort 
of tavern — where a couple of "foreigners " drinking Schnapps, a 
low ceiled room, and a high bar with quaint old drinkingglasses, 
made up a very Flemish interior. In this Gerald Douw-ish seem- 
ing place we were detained half an hour, when a cry of " here 
comes de stage," brought us to the door, to catch a glimpse of 
the vehicle in which we felt so deeply interested, and, oh horror! 
how shall we describe the " thing " which met our affrighted 
gaze — for really " Miss O'Dowd's convaniency " was a " fool to 
it." 

2* 



34 THE TEN. 

But let us attempt a description. It was what the Missourians 
call a " mud cart" — a cross in fact between a second-hand 
bakers' wagon — and a hospital ambulance which had seen hard 
service ; this blessed institution was calculated to hold six by 
the builder, and, as we afterwards discovered, nine by the stage 
company. In short, it was to us a terrible surprise — a kind of 
waking nightmare that we couldn't get over. But as Smashup, 
Breakdown & Company were just eighteen miles in our rear, 
and the " Wakarusa war," supposed to be raging ahead of us, 
we strove to make the best of a bad business by hoisting ourself 
iuto the " mud-cart," which didn't improve upon a closer inspec- 
tion, where we shoved our carpet-bag under our feet, and pro- 
ceeded to insert ourself into the still unoccupied half of the front 
seat, for the place by our side had already been taken by a very 
clever seeming Virginian, with whom we had just scraped an 
acquaintance upon the cars, which bade fair to increase and 
prosper. The back seat was also full — a hale old gentleman 
and his daughter, a rather pretty Missourian girl, who looked 
anything but charmed with our conveyance, being its occu- 
pants — yet the middle bench was still empty. Well thought 
we, this is not so very bad after all, if the " mud-cart" is a 
humbug, it is at all events not crowded, and that in staging is 
no small advantage ; but even this hope was destined to be dis- 
pelled, for our landlord cried, "Driver, don't forget those passen- 
gers, they're all ready to start." 

" What passengers ?" shouted we, as our Jehu began hand- 
ling his lines ; " how many ?" 

We caught the landlord's reply, which overtook us on the 
road, as we rattled down the mud-hole of a main-street. It 
was a staggerer, for it said, " only ten." Ten ! we turned pale 
at the very thought ; ten and four made fourteen — and fourteen 
in a stage mud-cart ! It seemed an impossibility. " Smack 
went the whip, on rolled the wheels " — " was ever man so sad ?" 



THE DUTCH STAGE-AGENT. 35 

till we halted at the door of a — a far Western Hotel, Class 
No. 2, and depreciating at that. And there, dreadful to relate, 
stood the ten, the expectant ten, all waiting to be jammed, with 
such a wagon-load of luggage, and so many little things which 
must be carried inside, that we felt assured that our hypothesis 
of an impossibility would be correct, and thereby save us per- 
force, at least in part. 

But who were the ten? They consisted, so far as a bird's- 
eye view could inform us, of three very " Deown East" looking 
Yankees, with two "ladies," old and young — neither being 
pretty — and a little girl to fill up their half dozen, for these six 
went in a lot, all, Yankee-like, anxious to get ahead, while the 
remaining four, two of whom were Hibernians, stood looking 
on, as if it were a matter of perfect indifference to them whether 
they spent the day where they were or not. 

In the meanwhile the St. Charles agent of the stage-line — a 
little Dutchman with a mulish face — had made his appearance, 
way-bill in hand, on the pavement before the inn, where he stood 
looking distractedly from the document in his fist to the eager 
group of Yankees, who had evidently made up their minds to 
get in " whether or no." Time was passing, and the driver be- 
coming impatient ; but the Dutchman could get no light upon his 
dilemma. He couldn't jam even six more inside ; he might squeeze 
in nine in all ; but he wouldn't hire an extra coach. He 
scratched his head ; he pondered ; he couldn't cypher it out. 
At length a brilliant thought seemed to have struck him ; he 
had determined to do it by subtraction. 

11 Sir," said he, to our half-frozen self, " your name ish last 
upon de bill. You ish expected to ride on de driver mit de 
outshide." 

To this modest proposition a voice (it was ours, speaking from 
the inner fold of a mammoth woollen comforter), mildly objected, 
and the following dialogue ensued : 



36 A ROW FOR TWO. 

He. — "But you mush git out; dese peoples mush go ou. 
Mein Gott, but you mush." 

We. — " But I have paid my mouey, sir. Here is my ticket, 
duly made out, good for this day, aud this day only." 

He. — " But I cannot help him, sir ; you mush git out, or ride 
mit de outshide on de driver." 

We. — " But I won't. I've got a bad cold." 

He. — " You musht. You may go back and sue mit de com- 
pany, if dere ish anyting dat ish wrong." 

We. — " But I won't. I haven't time to go back and sue the 
company. My business is to go ahead, and I'm going." 

He. — " You mush get out, or I shall make you." 

At this stage of the conversation we opened our great coat, 
and displayed the mild-looking butt of a persuasive revolver 
(for we had taken the precaution to briug with us at least five 
good reasons for being politely treated). Having turned the 
handle of this weapon somewhat ostentatiously into a more 
come-at-able position, we assumed, so far as our very amiable 
countenance would permit, the manner and style of the " Blood- 
drinking Border-Ruffian," as we had seen those worthies set 
forth in Crockett's Yarns, and Far- Western Almanacs, and 
delivered ourself as follows : 

" Stranger, we war raised in South-Western Texas, we war. 
We can't be crowded — not much. We air considered hard to 
run against — we air a reg'lar pine-knot. Ef we air moved from 
this hyar cart, we must be lifted. But ef yeou feel like it, 
stranger, don't restrain yeourself — pitch in. We're considered 
as numerous as most folks, we are." 

Imfact, we defined our position, and " rared back" upon 
our " reserved rights " generally, at the same time intimating to 
our krout-eating friend, that if he wanted his " har raised off 
his head, like a wild Ingin's, he had better take a hand." 

The agent grows civil and disappears. We supposed the 



THE CITY MARSHAL. 37 

fight was over, and was just congratulating ourself upon having 
gained a very easy victory, in which (as the bulletins have said) 
we " had to regret the loss of none killed and none wounded." But 
we were never more disappointed in our life. 

Interval of twenty minutes, during which we sat munching an 
underdone ginger-cake. Time up. The agent returns, accom- 
panied by a short individual in a long nose, red hair, and a 
light, saffron complexion, to accord. Small individual looked 
fierce, and remarked that his name was Johns ; we suggested 
that we were glad to hear it, and thought the appellation rather 
pretty than otherwise. 

" But I want you to know, sir, that I 'm the city marshal." 

We intimated that it was a gratification to us to receive that 
interesting piece of intelligence. 

" But, sir, you must get out of that stage." 

We stated that we were sorry to refuse so pleasant-spoken a 
gentleman, but that, under the circumstances, it would be utterly 
out of our power to gratify him. 

"But you must." 

"But I shan't." 

" But it's a law, sir, in the State of Missouri, that the tenth 
passenger rides outside." 

We intimate a doubt, and express a desire to see chapter and 
verse ; the marshal steps forward threateningly ; we produce our 
five-shooter, and begin dandling it upon our knee. 

An awful pause. 

We admit our willingness to acknowledge the majesty of Mis- 
souri law, by submitting to any legal process, reserving to our- 
self, however, the right to demand the writ, and surrender our 
body under protest, with a promise to prosecute the red-haired 
individual for an assault with a battery to boot, should he over- 
step the powers of his office. We wind up our business with the 
saffron-colored functionary in these words : 



38 WE CONQUER. 

" It strikes me, Mr. Marshal, that you're making a fool of 
yourself. If you have got a warrant for me, show it ; if you 
have not, mind your own business, and save trouble ; for, with- 
out intending to threaten, I want to assure you that I intend to 
protect myself." 

The marshal hesitates — he will not take the responsibility — 
five minutes more — our logic has triumphed — the marshal has 
succumbed. The red-haired man takes his long nose and saffron- 
colored complexion out of our visual horizon — the stage-agent is 
discomfited, and goes with his head cowed down, like the tail of 
a cur in difficulty, to procure an extra hack, into which steps the 
hale old gentleman with his pretty daughter, leaving our back 
seat to be refilled (oh, most unhappy change), by the old and 
young Yankee ladies with the little girl aforesaid — two Yankees, 
male specimens, then pile into the middle seat, while the third 
perches himself upon the box, beside the driver ; and so, being 
" all wrong," we "roll out" for Kansas. 

The agent, mounted upon a rat of a mule, whose expressive 
countenance seemed modelled after its rider's, trotted by our side 
until we were clear of " the town," where he took his departure, 
and as he did so, we thrust our body half out of the place where 
the mud-wagon's curtain ought to have been, to wave an ironical 
adieu, and desire our " most particular regards to his red-haired 
friend, the city marshal.'' 



WINTER SCENERY. 39 



CHAPTER III. 



A HARD ONE FOR THE AUTHOR. 



From this time forth, until the day of our return to St. Louis, 
we may truly say that we suffered " some." For if the happi- 
ness of life be composed of trifles, it is equally indisputable, that 
little discomforts make up its miseries. And oh, that dreary 
day ! the first of a long procession of dreary days, each gloomier 
than the last ; which, even now (as we scribble up our experiences 
amid the superfluities of a city residence), give us a shiver, as 
we recall them to mind ; for they have left upon the tablet of 
our memory a most un-Gignoux-ish winter scene, with no sun- 
shine in its leaden sky, full of huge trees, dismantled by the 
December blast, with great arms rocking to and fro, and un- 
thrifty-looking farms, where the half-frozen cattle sought shelter 
in vain, or crowded against each other to keep out the piercing 
cold ; and then the searching, bitter wind, the vain attempts to 
guard yourself from the weather ; the getting chilled and rest- 
less, and sleepy ; the conversation growing shorter and more 
snappish as the day wore on ; the quarrels for room ; the diffi- 
culties between your legs and the lower limbs of your fellow- 
passengers, which could not be compromised ; the ruts ; the 
mud-holes, masked with ice that wouldn't bear ; with a finale at 
night-fall, in the shape of a halt at a log-cabin hotel, where the 
"stage got supper," and the landlord, a very old settler, 
brought out a bottle of corn-whisky, and a bowl of brown 



40 RIBS AND SIDES. 

sugar, and asked us to "step up and take a little something 
before tea." After which, supper was announced, and we 
walked into the kitchen (an establishment, by the way, that re- 
minded us strongly of the houses which we used to build out of 
corn-cobs, when a boy), to eat it ; and now, with your permis- 
sion, we will chronicle that supper, as a fit exponent of our way- 
side meals, with two blessed exceptions, from the Alpha to the 
Omega of our recent far Western travel. 

Imprimis. — It was in " killing time," and hog-meat was every- 
where ; so we had sausages at both ends and ribs in the middle, 
flanked by other and less recognizable preparations of the 
unclean beast. Then there were dried apples, underdone hot 
biscuits, with what Willis would call two stomach-aches in each, 
and coffee, considered such by courtesy — a beverage not to be 
indulged in with impunity — all of which was provided at the 
rery moderate rate of four bits (a bit being the universal appel- 
lation for a York shilling in Missouri) per head. 

N. B. — We forgot to add three dirty "niggers" who served 
the repast, and a white woman who took the head of the table, 
where she seemed ill at ease, and appeared to us like the perso- 
nification of chills and fever, and an overworked one at that. 

And then the driver, who had supped with " the stage " — for 
the Far West levels all social distinctions — thrust in his head with 

" Stage's ready — all aboard, gentlemen I" 

We gathered our coat about us — wrapped our comforter more 
closely about our ears — seized our carpet-bag — cast " one last, 
long, lingering look behind" at the huge log-fire and the ruddy 
light within, and then anathematized the stage company,and re- 
sumed our seat. If the dreary day had been full of sorrows, 
what was that night ? 



" No stars — no moon — 
All dark — all gloom — 
We rumbled on— still on." 



A DOG-GAUN BAD PLACE. 41 

Till with a whoa ! and a sudden pull up, the driver poked in 
his head at the termination of the first two miles' jolting, and 
requested all hands to get out, as " he allowed he'd broke a 
king-bolt." 

There was no use in grumbling — we descended — we stepped 
into a mud-hole — we wet our feet — we swore, I am afraid we 
did — we got a rail — we made a mechanical power of ourself — 
we helped to hoist the mud-cart upon its wheels ; and then 
being all wrong, got in again ; but we might have spared our- 
self the trouble, for it was first a hill and then a descent — a 
"corduroy " road, or it may be an insinuating suggestion from 
the driver, such as : 

" Here's a dog-gaun bad place, gentlemen ; ef yeou don't want 
yeour necks broke, yeou'd better git out ; but it don't make no 
difference to me — I don't kear — you may stay in ef yeou'd dratker." 

It is needless to say tkat we didn't " dratker." And tkus 
tke night wore on, between shaking inside, and " footing it " out, 
until two o'clock in the morning, when one of our " ower care- 
ful " drivers got out to " pick a place " at which to cross 
" a slew," or what Western men call a " branch," which inter- 
sected the road immediately in front of us. Having found what 
he was pleased to designate as " a heap the best crossing," he 
remounted kis perck, seized tke reins, urged on kis cattle, and 
dasked in ; tke leaders scrambled out of tke kalf-frozen ditck, 
for suck it was ; tke wkeelers followed, but not so tke coack— 
tkere was a sudden stop — a crask — a heavy fall — and then a 
sort of smothered howl from the driver, with a noise like a 
locomotive running away, induced us to poke our head out into 
the night for information — and a pretty prospect it was which 
met our eye. The stage, with its cargo of passengers and 
luggage, was embedded in the slew, while the luckless driver 
sat upon the ground some ten feet in advance of his box, from 
whence he had been dragged by the lines ; and where he was just 



<*2 SMASHED UP. 

then engaged in feeling of his bones, as if to assure himself 
that they were unbroken, with interludes, as the small bills 
say, of tender manipulations in certain back settlements, 
which wouldn't, at that particular moment, bear any great 
amount of friction. The team in the meanwhile was out of 
sight, but we couldn't complain, as they had certainly been 
pleased to make a very equal distribution of the spoils, by taking 
with them their share of the concern, the fore-wheels and their 
appurtenances, and leaving to us the body of the mud wagon, 
with its hind wheels and boot-load of luggage attached. As we 
afterwards discovered, they ran about half a mile, strewing sun- 
dry fragments here and there as they went, as if to mark their 
road ; nor is it probable that they would have halted short of 
the next station, full two miles further on, if they had not 
grown weary of dragging one of their companions, the rear 
wheeler, who had the ill luck to fall, and whom (as they were 
too much hurried to give the beast time to pick himself up), 
they consequently pulled after them by the harness-leather across 
the frozen prairie ruts, until the unfortunate animal was lite- 
rally flayed alive from the tip of his nose to the very end of his 
scraggy-looking tail, when they magnanimously condescended to 
stop and permit themselves to be caught. 

Having accomplished this much, we all, driver included, left 
the vehicle, with our " plunder," and that famous traveller, Uncle 
Sam's Mail, to take its chance upon the broad prairie, while we 
"put out" in search of fire and a shelter; these were finally 
obtained, after some hunting about in the gloom of that dreary 
hour which immediately precedes the breaking of day, in a little 
hill-side log-cabin, where, thanks to a good-natured Missourian, 
who got up and opened the pin-fastened door to receive us, 
our benumbed passengers found a Western welcome to such com- 
forts as its very limited accommodations could afford. So we 
made the best of a bad matter, and forthwith crouched down 



THE WAY-SIDE STATION. 43 

upon a low stool before the heaped-up wood-fire — burning one 
side, and shivering upon the other, as we turned ourself, like a 
perambulating meat-jack, to its blaze, until the first faint glimmer 
of the morning light crept in through the unchinked logs to 
herald the coming of the dawn, when we once more took the 
road, and in company with our Yirginian friend, pushed on to 
" the station," where, in the proper course of events, the mud- 
cart should have changed horses some hours before, at which we 
arrived, per Shanks mare, without further casualty. Here we 
breakfasted at "the hotel" — a log-cabin, of course — on the 
stereotyped bill of fare — attended to our ablutions, and repaired 
damages generally — and then passed two very unentertaining 
hours in company with a brace of Missouri hog-drivers, whose 
conversation, save when it turned upon the mysteries of their 
trade, contained, as our city journalists say, when referring to 
the arrival of the ''Southern mail" — "nothing new." At ten 
o'clock, a. m., our driver, a very independent sort of person, 
after refreshing himself with hog meat, coffee, "a sleep and a 
smoke," thought proper to go down and look after the mud-cart, 
which was still reposing most ingloriously in the ditch. It was 
nearly noon, therefore before we finally got under way again, 
and went jolting over a road which grew worse at every mile. 
The close of another miserable clay found us at a blacksmith's 
shop and groggery, of a town whose very name we have for- 
gotten, and another, and yet more comfortless night — with some 
little assistance from an intoxicated driver, brings us to an upset, 
which we consider noticeable, the more so, as it came within an 
ace of making a very striking impression upon our brain, in a 
double sense. 

It was a December night — a credit to the family of such 
nights, dark, frosty, and depressing. We had two drivers upon 
the box — one a " native," very drunk, and the other a Dutch- 
man, who was only partially so, " by chance." The Dutchman 



44 AN UPSET. 

had the Hues — we were half a-sleep — having got as near a state 
of " blessed unconsciousness," as we ever do in a night-coach, 
when a quick tipping of the " stage," followed by a general 
smash up, apprised us (even without the exclamations of " Oh, 
Lord ! we're over." " Oh, murder !" " Oh, somebody ! take me 
out," which came dolefully from the Yankee ladies in the 
back seat), that the mud-cart was done for. Fortunately for us, 
however, the vehicle was so accommodating as not to turn over 
upon our side — a matter, by the way, of small congratulation 
to the poor Virginian, upon whom we fell heavily. Upon reach- 
ing the ground we found ourself at the top — (thank fortune 
for that) — of a confused mass of arms, legs, bodies, and 
travelling-bags — and as it is very difficult to prevent mistakes 
in the dark — and we didn't like to tarry longer in a place which 
might prove unhealthy, if the horses started — we forthwith pro- 
ceeded to extricate ourselves, with more speed than cere- 
mony. What wonder then, that, in helping ourself out, we 
should have committed the trifling impoliteness of setting one foot 
in the old Yankee's mouth, as he afterwards declared, to the 
great detriment of his front teeth — while we kicked his better-half 
in the stomach with the other, until a change of position allowed 
us to make a step-ladder of our Virginian's back-bone, as he 
lay snugly coiled up below — from whence another stride brought 
us out of the place where the upper window-glass ought to have 
been. Being once more head uppermost, and safely landed upon 
terra firma, we flew to the assistance of the fairer portion of our 
companions, one of whom at least, if she were susceptible of 
cholic, must have been suffering severely from the external appli- 
cation of our buffalo soles. Nor was it a difficult matter to 
decide upon the precise whereabouts of these females in distress, 
for the locality into which they had been tumbled by the catas- 
trophe was made evident by a series of squalls in the duet style, 
the old lady doing the first, and the younger the second treble, 



SAVE THE LADIES. 45 

with very opera-like effect. To out knife and cut away the 
leather curtains which fastened them in, was the work of a 
moment ; to put in our hand and get hold of something — we 

believe it was the old lady's limb, was the work of another, 

and then with a yo-he-oh ! we tugged away, until we had suc- 
ceeded in hauling the venerable matron into the outer air, where 
she arrived in a very flustered condition — quite wrong side up 
with care. Having thus happily accomplished the deliverance 
of the senior, we turned our attention toward ameliorating the 
condition of the younger lady, whose outcries still continued to 

" Vex the drowsy ear of night," 

in which laudable effort we were assisted by our Virginian, who 
had by this time picked himself out, with, as he expressed it : 

" Thank God no broken bones — but a very sore back, for 
somebody — one of those vile Yankees he believed — had kicked 
him there, right on his spine, in their efforts to save themselves, 
and he'd be derned if he didn't just wish that he knew which 
one of them it was." 

We thought that we might have given him some insight into 
the matter, but judiciously refrained — so after much poking, and 
some awkward mistakes, in the course of which our Virginian 
came very near getting even with the male Yankees still strug- 
gling inside, we got hold of the young lady, and placed her beside 
the elder. And as we watched the damsel who stood shaking 
out her petticoats, it occurred to us that, in one respect at least, 
she had got ahead of her venerable companion, insomuch as 
she had been delivered by a head instead of a feet presentation, 
having been literally lugged out by the hair. 

Our next procedure, after having counted noses, and as- 
sured ourselves that there were no bones broken, was to pass a 
general vote of censure, or, in other words, we uttered curses 
both loud and deep against the firm of Smashup Breakdown & 



46 DRUNKEN" DRIVERS. 

Co., general stage-agents of St. Louis, Mo., and their devices : 
with a particular application of our remarks to the offending 
stage-drivers then and there present, for their excessive stu- 
pidity and unpardonable drunkenness, to all of which " the Na- 
tive," a surly sort of fellow, hiccoughed out something about- his 
" bavin' known of a feller that once got his neck bruk" on an 
" Ingianny" stage, who had bin paid as much as five thousand 
dollars for doin' it, by the stage folks ; and he jest allowed that 
ef any on us war killed, the company would hev to pay us for 
the privilig;" an assurance which, though it might have been a 
comfort to an Irishman, had no more soothing effect upon us than 
to draw forth the remark, that we didn't want to put Smashup 
to any such expense, at least upon our own personal account. 

"But, stranger (continued the Native), I (hie) jest know that 
I'd hev (hie) my neck broke (hie) for that ; couldn't a feller buy 
a few acres and a nigger (hie) or two niggers, may-be — well he 
could (hie) yes — (here a pause for reflection) — yes, I'm dog- 
gauned, stranger, ef they mayent (hie) break my neck and smash 
ray (hie) legs to eternal smash for five thousand dollars, (hie) 
well they may." 

As for the Dutchman, he (being the soberer of the two, or, 
perhaps we should rather say, the more sympathetically drunk) 
took a penitent view of the matter ; and, like a tender-hearted 
railroad employee whose negligence has just assisted at the 
smash-up of a few car-loads, seemed inclined to condole with 
our misfortunes to an extreme limit, for he assured us : 

11 Dat he would drather give five dollar of his money dat he 
make stage-drivin' dan have dish ting happen ; dat he never 
upset nobodies not more dan nine, may-be fifteen times, and he 
drive six month ; but dat he didn't know dis part of de road, 
and only drives for his friend dat is shic mit de whisky, but 
dat he never drunksh nothin, himself, but takish some schnapps 
mit his friend when tish cold." 



OLD MAN RHYMERS. 4 ( 



CHAPTER IV. 

11 OLD MAN RHYMER " AND A BOONSVILLE " HOTEL." 

We reached the town of Rocheport, Mo., late on the evening 
of the 12th, when we were forthwith rattled up to what the 
stage-driver — a new specimen of the genus, who for a wonder 
kept sober, called " old man Rhymer's tavern," of whose ex- 
traordinary conveniences he had spoken in such favorable, 
not to say enthusiastic terms, that we felt really curious to see 
that rara avis, at least in the interior of Missouri, " a first-rate 
hotel ;" but we found to our cost that in this, as well as in our 
other Far Western travelling experiences, the 

" Distance lent enchantment to the view ;" 

for even " old man Rhymer's " tavern proved upon a closer 
acquaintance to be no better than it ought, if half so good ; 
in fine, it was as dirty, ill-kept, and unprepossessing a village inn 
as we had yet encountered upon the road ; and we very much 
fear that our loquacious stage-driver, in expatiating upon the 
accommodations of this establishment, had a personal and, it 
may be, pecuniary interest in drumming customers into the 
clutches of mine host. Mynheer Rhymer, his very poeti- 
cal name to the contrary notwithstanding, appeared at the door 
of his " hostelrie " as we drove up, in the shape of an cbese, 



48 THE " SHICKEX " FIGHT. 

bull-headed, uncleanly-looking old Dutchman, with an oily voice 
and a fat smile. His first salutation ran thus: 

" Mill you hash supper, gentelmen ; dere is no stage here, so 
you mill hash to stay all night." 

Here was another damper ; but after three days and nights 
of travel over the very roughest of all rough roads this side of 
Jordan Turnpike, a night in bed was something " not to be 
sneezed at." So we gave into this nolens volens detention with 
the best grace possible, and supped on the unclean beast as usual. 
Then came bed-time, and our couch a feather-bed of course, 
for how could a Dutchman sleep soundly upon straw. And if a 
poor road-worn mortal ever felt the full force of Tom Hood's 

"O, bed ! bed ! bed ! delicious bed : 
That heaven on earth to a weary head, 
Whether lofty or low its condition," 

we were that mortal that night, for as we lay submerged in 
a feathery sea, we rolled, and tumbled, and dreamed of dire 
upsets and desperate runnings-away, and then woke up to bless 
our stars, and enjoy the luxury, as we turned to sleep again, of 
stretching out our cramped-up legs without running the risk of 
breaking a neighbor's shins. 

December 13th. — Morning, and a late breakfast, not yet ready. 
Scene. — The " bar-room," the principal actors being the fat land- 
lord and ourself, with the loquacious stage-driver in the back- 
ground. This wrangling dialogue ensues : 

We. — Mr. Rhymer, would you have the goodness to let 
your servants give me a bit of chicken for breakfast. I have 
been ill, and Missouri hog's meat seems to owe me a grudge, for 
we can't agree. 

He. — Shicken — shicken — mein Gott — de shicken ish too big 
to kill. Dish ish not de time for de shicken ; dish ish de shea- 
son for de hog. 



CHICKEN VERSUS HOG. 49 

Here the loquacious stage-driver, whose feeliugs appeared to 
have been deeply outraged by our request, broke in with the 
following most unauthorized observations. We shall take the 
liberty to reduce the oaths to blanks, and thus diminish his com- 
ments by fifty per cent, at the least. 

" By the great-jumping-flat-footed , where the 

did yeou come from ? Yeou can't eat hog-meat, hey ? Yeou're 

delicately raised — you air, by . I'll be ef we hadn't 

better send out and kill a few patridges for yeou — well we had, 

by the eternal . Send I may be . Chickens, hey ? 

chickens !" 

Here the enthusiastic driver halted for want of breath, and 
we embraced the opportunity to assure him that if he would do 
us the favor to step out and kill those " patridges ,f we would 
eat them with the greatest pleasure, whereupon the driver stared, 
and seemed really impressed with an idea that we took things — 
for an Eastern man — mighty coolly. As for our fat host, he 
waddled out, and ordered a piece of turkey's breast, fried brown 
in pork, for our own private use and benefit, on which we break- 
fasted gloriously, very much to the amazement of our Yirginian, 
who was in the habit of amusing himself with our very Jewish 
dislike to the "entire animal." 

Upon finishing our repast, we, in company with our fellow- 
passengers, resolved ourselves into a " committee of the whole," 
to contrive " ways and means " for getting on ; for it was but 
too evident that our fat landlord was correct in his assertion, 
that, so far as " stages " were concerned, Smashup, Breakdown 
& Co.'s line had at length " given out for good." 

It was finally determined by our passengers, in council assem- 
bled, that " old man Hhymer " should take the responsibility of 
furnishing a suitable vehicle, and as he was the duly accredited 
stage-agent of Smashup, Breakdown & Co., at Rocheport, look 
to those worthy gentlemen for his pecuniary reward — an ar-. 

3 



50 THE LUMBER WAGON. 

rangement, by-the-way, which seemed to afford but slender grat- 
ification to mine host, whose tavern gained nothing by our exit. 
But, overcome by our importunities, he finally saw fit to grunt 
out an assent, and accordingly went rolling out to order up the 
necessary transportation. 

Tn half an hour's time* " the stages ; ' were reported ready, 
and we once more sallied forth to embark in whatever new 
instrument of torture it might please Providence and " old 
man Rhymer " to bestow us in. And there they were, sure 
enough ; for one of the stages alluded to was a dilapidated 
hack, which held one male Yankee, and three ladies inside, while 
our Virginian, who had perched himself upon the driver's seat, 
after a round or two of argument as to the right of position, 
more than completed its complement. As for the other vehicle, 
in which we felt more particularly interested, it was nothing 
more than an ordinary lumber-wagon, which we should say — 
judging from its odor, and inside cleanliness — had been very 
recently engaged in the transportation of manure ; or it may be 
that its body had been on detached service as a hen-roost. 
When we came to take our place, we found the wagon already 
filled up with the Yankees' luggage, on which the balance of 
our party had already seated themselves, in compliance with a 
request to ''pile in, ef they wanted to make Boonsville that 
day." So we were fain to follow their example, and scrambled 
up upon the heap of trunks, boxes, and bundles, which made up 
the plunder of our fellow-travellers, where we selected an eligible 
seat, which means — took up our position upon a leathern trunk, 
studded with large brass knobs, and lettered at either end with 
nails of a similar material. And in this " blessed institution" 
we rode some eighteen miles or more, in a light, drizzling rain, 
and a very wet overcoat. So don't wonder if our style of de- 
scription should grow curter as we revive the recollections of 
that day — for our troubles were beginning to tell upon us, even 



SIX OLD BLIND MARES. 51 

to the suspension of our good-nature. We had not gone a league, 
when the driver — a near relation, we should say, of our friend of 
the " chickens," and a surly brute into the bargain — asked us very 
coolly to get out and walk, to save old man Rhymer's horses, 
up a very steep hill, and through such deep mud as the world never 
produced out of the State of Missouri. We were irritated — 
we regarded ourself as being humbugged, swindled, done for, 
and imposed upon, and, in the excitement of the moment, con- 
signed " old man Rhymer," his tavern, horses, kith and kin, to the 
" unmentionable to ears polite," with a codicil in favor of stage- 
drivers. We intimated, however, to the driver, that if he felt like 
saving old man Rhymer's horses, we should be most happy to 
handle the ribbons, and let him walk up the hill, or for that 
matter, all the way to the Missouri river. His answer was an 
emphatic one, and quite a " laconic " in its way. 
11 Stranger, do yeu think I'm &*dog-gauned fule ?" 
In answer to which, we very frankly admitted that upon that 
point we had not yet made up our mind, but when we did, we 
would let him know, and immediately relapsed into a misanthro- 
pic reverie, which lasted until we reached the banks of that 
mighty tributary to the Great Father of Waters, which is here 
to-day — gone to-morrow — and as generally uncertain in its ups 
and downs, as that nigger, who is sure to run away — " In point 
of fact," as Wilkins Micawber says, we allude to the Missouri. 
As Boonsville is situated upon the opposite bank, it became ne- 
cessary to embark upon a ferry-boat, which plies from the point 
at which we struck the river, to the " City levee." This boat 
was a six-horse power affair, and we feel confident that our cal- 
culation is correct, for in this instance, the sole motive agent was 
a circular tread-mill, worked by half-a-dozen (we don't mean as 
the bakers count), old blind mares, .with their bones so wonder- 
fully developed, and their bellies so singularly small, that you 



52 BOONSVILLE. 

would have sworn that life itself was a burden to these unfortu- 
nate beasts, who panted and heaved while they walked 

" Their weary round," 

as if it were part of their business to imitate the puffing of a 
high-pressure engine, and thus delude the beholder into a belief 
that the whole concern went by steam, and really nothing else. 
But the old proverb cautions us to " speak well of the bridge, 
which carries us safely over." So we are bound to make honor- 
able mention of the mares, for although it was— pull mares— pull 
Missouri, and a very close thing at times, between our " six- 
horse power,'' and the current, they finally, that is to say, in 
something less than an hour's time, brought us triumphantly to 
the Boonsville landing, where we remounted our trunk, and was 
conveyed to the City Hotel, one of the two " blessed exceptions," 
to which we referred when denouncing Missouri inns. 

There was one thing about this hotel, with which we were 
more particularly pleased, and this was the air of home comfort 
in its sleeping apartments. What decent traveller is there, 
who will not sympathize with us when we say, that it is so grat- 
ifying to escape from the bar, or general sitting-room, for, in a 
Far Western tavern, these luxuries, (?) are but too frequently 
united, with its foul odors and unprofitable discourse, to such a 
sanctum as was our chamber at the City. Let us describe it for 
you, for it has u a place in our memory " still. Imagine, then, a 
large, airy room to begin with, which has two heavily-curtained 
windows, and a broad, open fire-place, whose well-swept hearth, 
and high brass fenders, bore tokens of recent attention from 
careful liands. But the fire 1 ah ! that was the great success ; 
you should have seen it when we came in ; it Wasn't one of 
your poverty-stricken, just large-enough efforts ; none of your 
single back-log, with one-or-two-sticks-on-top-of-it affairs -which 



A ROARER OF A FIRE. 53 

might burn out, like a three-inch tavern candle, before you went 
to bed ; but a free-handed, generous, rollicking blaze — a roarer 
of a fire, in fact, who was now fairly started, and off upon a 
spree, and being so, meant to go it with a rush, and crack every 
log that came in its way, without reference to expense. It was 
one of those fires, too, that open a man's heart ; for it seemed to 
warm you right through, morally and physically. You felt its 
genial influence, the moment you entered the chamber ; — why, 
to us, it almost appeared to talk, as we came in, for it leaped 
up, and danced, and uttered a roar of welcome, as if it wished 
to say, " How are you, old fellow ? — glad to see you — sit down, 
draw up your chair — extend your legs, and make yourself at 
home." Our benison on that fire, say we, and on the man — or 
woman, perchance, who built it ; for, we repeat it, it was a bril- 
liant success — an undoubted one — and the whole world couldn't 
argue us into any other belief. 

And then there was the bed — the beds, we should have said, 
for there were two of them — why, they're a paragraph in them- 
selves ; such beds ! such 

" First class carriages of ease 
To the land of Nod, or where you please." 

as Hood has it, were surely never seen before ; they made us 
think of Dickens's old John Willet, and the May-pole Inn ; 
why, the state couch of that snug hostelry is no where by com- 
parison. You could hardly call either of them beds for two, 
they seemed rather to have been built for three — or perhaps, we 
might say, with a view to the accommodation of small families — 
and, for the matter of that, we verily believe that, if Smashup, 
Breakdown & Co., general stage-agents, who understand packing, 
had owned an interest in the " City," Smashup would have got 
half-a-dozen into each. They were, moreover, curtained with some 
warm-tinted fabric, which accorded well with the cheerful hues 
of the carpet and window drapery ; and as for sheets and pillow- 



54 OUR SANCTUM. 

cases, why, we must refer the reader, for their counterpart, to 
the linen-presses of Dandie Dinmont's " gude wife," at the Lid- 
desdale sheep-farm, for a description of which see Guy Manner- 
ing, fair ladies, and " when found," follow up the suggestion of 
Captain Cuttle, and " make a note of it." 

There was a sofa, too — a wonderful sofa — so soft, so practical, 
and, best of all, so old-fashioned ; and then there were chairs 
that seemed natural, and, what is more to the purpose, agreeing 
relatives of the sofa ; which stood round the room upon their 
sturdy legs, as if they felt themselves to be a credit to the estab- 
lishment, and — so they were. 

But stay, we mustn't forget the wash-stand. Not much in a 
wash-stand, hey ? Why, you were never more mistaken in your 
life, my good reader ! Nothing ? pooh, nonsense ! why, there's 
everything in a wash-stand ! Think of the dimpled hands, that 
lave their tiny fingers over them sometimes, and the bright 
morning faces, that catch their first glimpse of sunshine from 
the reflection of their own optics in the basin, and then, we 
won't say a word, you know, about toilette mysteries. But 
believe in the wash-stand, or not, as you choose, that doesn't 
alter the fact that our wash-stand was just the thing ; a big, 
overgrown, apoplectic one, of real Spanish mahogany, turned 
black with age ; and now throw in a couple of huge, wide- 
mouthed, and scrupulously clean, white pitchers, filled with un- 
exceptionable water, with quaint-looking accompaniments to 
match, and a long mahogany rack, hung with towels, white as 
the driven snow, and we will let our sketch of a comfortable in- 
terior go from us without further touching, save this — if you 
are hard to move, and don't believe in its truthfulness, just try 
it for yourself, after four days and nights of winter staging in 
the Far West, and we will "eat our head," a la Grimwig, upon 
the result of your decision. 

The morning of the 14th, found us, so far as a conveyance 



ANOTHER DETAINER. OJ 

was concerned, worse off, if anything, than we had been at 
Rocheport : for the stage line had again "given out," and the 
agent would not even procure a wagon to take its place ; we 
tried entreaty, flattery, and even threats, but it was all in vain, 
we might as well have talked to the Missouri ; the stages were 
all up the country, or all down ; he had none to give us ; lie 
might have a stage next day, or he might not for a week ; in 
fact, our getting on was, so far as his assistance went, quite a 
matter of iQuien sale ? 

What was to be done ? The Kansas War would be getting 
cold — the Herald wouldn't have the news ! It was clearly our 
duty to push on ; we accordingly consulted with our Virginian, 
who had a wife and youngsters near Lexington (our next prin- 
cipal stopping place, en route), from whom he had been for some 
time separated. We were, therefore, but from widely differing 
causes, most anxious to proceed. " I have it," cried he, after 
considerable reflection, " I have just learned that there are some 
empty hacks going back to Lexington, so we will leave the 
stage-agents to their devices, by cutting them dead, and hiring 
our own conveyance. 

And to this proposition we acceded, for although, we did not 
consider it pecuniarily to our advantage to employ a private 
conveyance, to transport us over a road which we had already 
paid ten cents per mile, for the privilege of traversing, we felt 
compelled to adopt the expedient, as the only one which seemed 
calculated to extricate us from the annoyances of a vexatious 
delay. So we sallied forth with the Virginian, and sought out 
the senior hack-driver, a negro, black as the ace of spades (his 
junior being a white man), with whom w T e entered into a verbal 
contract forthwith, wherein it was stipulated, that for a certain 
consideration, to be by us " the party of the first part," duly 
paid, he, Nigger Jim, as " the party of the second part," should 
undertake to bring us, bag and baggage, in safety, to Lexington, 



56 NIGGER JIM. 

the next " principal city M upon our route, by nightfall of the 
ensuing day. 

But ere we leave Boonsville, upon paper, let us, to do all things 
properly and in order, make a few extracts (in another chap- 
ter), from a " letter home," which we dated from our cosy 
chamber at the " City Hotel." 



A VERY OLD SOLDIER. 51 



CHAPTER V 

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT EN ROUTE. 

Boonsville, Mo., Thursday, December IZth, 1855. — We remem- 
ber once, ere we " put our sword upon the peace establishment," 
and our tongue, or — what comes to the same thing, with an 
author — our pen, "upon the civil list" — or in plainer language, 
when we used to do tactics in the army of our ungrateful Uncle 
Sam — to have heard one of our men — a very old soldier — from 
the Emerald Isle, of course (for who doesn't know that the 
"regulars" of Native American Uncle Sam are for the most 
part " demmed furriners)," close some unbelievable yarn which 
he had been spinning for the edification of a newly-joined batch 
of recruits, with this pithy sentence : 

" Yis, gintlemen, av the littel advintures that have happened 
to me, in my lifetime, an' more perticularly since I've bin a solger- 
in', was to be put inter a book, it's jist my imprision that they'd 
fill about five hundred family Bibles in the smallist kind of prent." 

And so, in good truth, may we speak of our sufferings, since 
your correspondent and his carpet-bag, got into the hands of 
that most atrocious of humbugs — the Smashup Stage Company. 

(For the subject-matter of a hiatus which occurs here, we 

must refer the reader to our inklings of miseries by the way, 

already recorded.) 

********* 

And now, having told you of our troubles, we think that you 



58 OUR POSSIBLE OBITUARY. 

must allow, that in our pursuit of knowledge under difficulties, 
in your behalf, we are furnishing you with proofs which ought to 
set us up for ever in your estimation, for though we do everything 
upon the square, and strive to work by the golden rule, we may 
even yet be leaded by some Border Ruffian, or enthusiastic Free 
Soiler, in which case please head our obituary with — 

OF KANSAS AND A MISSOURI STAGE ROUTE. 

There, don't be angry with us for trying to be funny. It's 
no small effort, under existing circumstances, we can assure you, 
for really, our understanding — our physical one we mean — has 
been damaged to so great an extent, within the last four and 
twenty hours, that we shouldn't even like to sit upon a jury. 

(We would here refer the reader to our lumber-wagon experi- 
ences from Kocheport, to fill another break.) 

****** % * * 

But enough of egotism, and now for Kansas, whose " Free State 
War" seems to resemble the yellow fever in New Orleans, in 
this — that, as you approach more closely to the scene of its active 
operations, the agent which does the mischief is less talked 
about. Such, at least, has been our experience in Kansas news- 
hunting, so far, for in answer to our numerous queries, the Mis- 
sourians give one stereotyped reply, running thus : 

" We don't kear much about it, stranger, but ef our boys go 
up to Lawrence, I hope they'll kill out those dog-gauned Aboli- 
tionists. And I jest expect they will." 

Indeed we had almost begun to despair of gaining any intelli- 
gence at all, until actually upon the spot, in propria persona, 
when in comes the stage from Westport, with a whole grist 
"of live Yankees," every "mother's son of them" being Free 
State men — if nothing stronger — and all fresh from the seat of 
war. What they were doing there is probably nobody's busi- 



PUMPING A DOWN-EASTER. 50 

ness but their own. Well, we have seen these worthies — talked 
with them — "pumped" them, if a Yankee can be "pumped'- — 
tried to separate a mountain of lies from its mole-hill foundation 
of truth, and have gained the following : — 

As this intelligence has been superseded by more reliable 
testimony, which we afterwards collected upon tl^e spot, we will 
spare the reader a reiteration of our news items, which, indeed, 
were, at that early date, summed up in the information that, so 
far as Lawrence was concerned, the " pomp, and pride, and cir- 
cumstance of glorious war," had taken up its nunc dimittis, or, 
in a military phrase, its " line of march " for other regions, leav- 
ing both sides victorious, and nobody satisfied with that some- 
what extraordinary result. 

He ******** * 

We have the following statements from an Abolitionist, who, 
as we have every reason to believe, took an active, if not violent 
part in the troubles at Lawrence ; we suppressed his name at 
the time, because of our promise to do so, for our informant 
seemed in mortal fear of tar and feathers. So agitated was he 
in fact, that we verily believe the nightmare herself could have 
visited him only in , the shape of a pro-slavery jack-ass, with 
bowie-knife legs, and a revolving tail. But to return — he watch- 
ed us as we were " takin' notes," and hearing that we really 
meant to "prent em," he beckoned us aside, and very cautiously 
proceeded to open up his version of the " affairs in Kansas," to 
which we were all attention ; but it is no more than right to say 
that our gentleman mistook us for a correspondent of the Blank, 
a paper, whose proclivities are avowedly Free Soil, or it is just 
possible that he might have been a little less communicative ; at 
all events, he certainly regarded us as " a friend and brother,' 7 
for he gave our hand a peculiar grasp, which, as we don't belong 
to any secret societies, save the Good Fellows, and others of 
that genus, we are free to confess we didn't understand ; but 



60 A CUTE YANKEE TRICK. 

remembering that all stratagems are fair in love and war, we 
could not see why it should not be the same as regards the ac- 
quisition of newspaper intelligence, so we squeezed back as 
vaguely as we conveniently could, which called forth another 
telegraphic pressure from our friend, who looked mysterious, 
made signs of caution, drew us outside the door, said something 
about pro-slavery men being pugnacious, and having sharp ears, 
and finally, muttered something between his teeth about its 
being " all right." We had our private suspicions that our 
friend might find it all ivrong, but didn't see fit to express them. 

(Our new acquaintance then proceeded to enlighten us upon 
various points, which, for reasons already given, would be unin- 
teresting, if recapitulated here ; there was, however, one state- 
ment made, which we will chronicle as worth reading.) 

Our informant tells us, that the so-called settlement of the 
difficulties at Lawrence, between the Free State and Pro-slavery 
leaders, was, on the part of the Free State people, nothing more 
than a " cute Yankee trick," amounting simply to this — that 
the citizens of Lawrence, after making a show of resistance, 
until they found that they might be overpowered by a superior 
force, avoided a fight, by intimating to Governor Shannon that 
they were willing to submit themselves to the laws, and permit 
the sheriff of Douglas County to arrest the persons against whom 
he held writs, and whom they had hitherto been harboring — a 
settlement was accordingly made, but not until the fugitives in 
question had been warned by the Free State party, and allowed 
time to make good their escape, which they were not slow to do. 

"But," queried we, "are the Lawrence people going to back 
down, and give it up so — won't they try it again ?" 

" They're bound to," was the reply, and so our conference 
ended. Upon parting with us, our mysterious little friend de- 
sired, as a particular favor to himself, that we should state, in 
case any inquiries were made, concerning him, that we had 



A FRIEND AND BROTHER. 61 

known him in Louisville, Ky., from whence, as we afterwards 
discovered, upon reference to the record of the hotel, he had 
seen fit to register himself. "My real name," said he, "is S. 
N. W***, and I am a prominent Free State man in Law- 
rence ; but, for Heaven's sake, don't breathe my name here, 
it's as much as my life's worth." As we didn't want to 
place Mr. W*** life in danger (in case the Missourians might 
take it into their heads that he was worth killing), we have 
kept these matters to ourself, even till now. Oh, we had 
almost forgotten to say, that little W*** — for he was a little 
man, and not over handsome at that — seemed very anxious that 
we should make the acquaintance of some of the prominent 
Free Soilers in Lawrence, or, as the Yankees pronounce it — 
Lar-ence — to which we assented, as we were sincerely desirous 
of information, and didn't care from what source it came, black, 
white, or grey, for be it remembered, that we were after facts — 
facts of the stern hard-shell kind, for the Kansas news are as 
grist to our pen and ink mill, and we would even have coveted 
"a free fight," if we could have been "counted out," for the 
sake of adding to our items. 

And now, ere we close this long-winded epistle — for the can- 
dle is flickering in its socket, and our watch indicates that witch- 
ing hour, when 

" Churchyards yawn," and drowsy watchmen sleep — 

let us send you a veritable narrative, which we have learned 
from the lips of a New Yorker (hailing from Delaware County), 
who got it upon the spot. And we will here take the 
liberty of dedicating this yarn to the ultra-Emancipationists in 
general, with a reservation in favor of Mistress Blank (no 
relation to our Blanks up to date, by the way), if that dis- 
tinguished authoress should feel inclined to add an extra Key 
to the Uncle Tommia. It may be called — A Black Diamond — 
The Gem of the Kansas Season. 



62 MISTER MAGEE'S NIGGER. 

" It would appear, that among the Pro-Slavery warriors, who 
besieged the far-famed fortifications of Lawrence, there was a 
certain good man, and true — one Mister Magee, from Clay 
County, Mo., or thereabouts (everybody comes from counties 
at the West). Now Mister Magee owned a "nigger," who had 
worked in the yoke of slavery, until it ought to have scarified 
his shoulders, but had not. Of the precise baptismal $tt jna- 
tion of Mister Magee's nigger we are unaware, but, for con- 
venience sake, we will presume his cognomen to have been Caesar 
— Julius Caesar, if you please — or, if you prefer it-*-Augustus. 
And our Caesar was evidently no coward, but rather a valiant 
man-of-war, who, like Mr. Norval, 

" Had heard of battles;" f 

in short, he was " a fighting darkey," and accordingly accom- 
panied his master to prove, by doughty deeds, that a " colored 
pusson " has his rights and won't be freed without his consent 
being previously obtained, " anyhow you can fix it." Now, it 
so happened that Caesar, while serving in the Wakarusa camp, was 
charged with the performance of some scouting duty, v hhe 
execution of which he discovered an Abolitionist lurking z, *t 
his post. Caesar hailed him, and inquired into his bus., 
there. The Abolitionist gave replies which Caesar regarded as 
being highly unsatisfactory. The Pro-Slavery darkey forthwith 
advanced upon this philanthropic upholder of human rights with 
an energy which, while it spoke volumes for his party zeal, said 
but very little for his pacific intentions. The pale-face turned 
and fled — it is not even on record that he lingered to say — 
" Et in Brute" 11 — or, as it is matrimonially translated — "and 
you too, you brute." Caesar was swift of foot, as well as valor- 
ous of heart ; he darted forward in pursuit. The white man 
quickened his pace, but Caesar put his long heels down as if he 
were after a runaway locomotive, and ere long overhauled the 



FIGHTING CiESAR. 63 

panting fugitive, who "surrendered at discretion," at the same 
time begging for his life, and delivering up, as an evidence of his 
submission (in compliance with Caesar's particular request), a 
Sharp's rifle, a brace of Colt's revolvers, and an improved 
bowie-knife, with which he had encumbered himself. Our narra- 
tor goes on to state that Caesar " toted " the fellow into the 
Wakarusa camp, and then and there delivered up his prisoner 
and the spoils, to the manifest amusement of the Pro-Slavery 
men, and the no slight increase of the military reputation of 
Fighting Caesar. It is now generally supposed in Clay County 
(adds our informant), that a " white man may be as good as a 
nigger," under favorable circumstances. 

And now, farewell ; we have two or three nights more of 
staging before us, from which may the Fates send us a safe de- 
liverance, for it is " raining like blazes. ;" the country is all afloat, 
the rivers up, and the bridges down, and your " war corres- 
pondent" given out to such a degree, that, like a certain dis- 
tinguished personage, he may be said to sit uneasily in his seat. 

We shall write you soon, from somewhere; but we are going 
to have a row with the stage-agent to-morrow, and there's no 
telling what may come of it ; he may be too much for us ; we 
anathematized a driver yesterday — result — stage upset, accident- 
ally, of course, just half-an-hour afterwards. 

Truly yours, &c, 

Hiawatha. 



64 A FRESH START. 



CHAPTER VI. 

OUR VIRGINIAN FRIEND ON SLAVERY. 

But let us get back to Boonsville ; to our private hack, and 
the morning of December 14th. We were all ready to start — 
bill paid ; porter satisfied ; landlord smiling benignantly ; Nig- 
ger Jim handled the reins ; and Virginia (as I shall henceforth 
call him), and " our correspondent," made ourselves comfortable 
upon the back seat, the front, for we were the only passengers, 
being already occupied by our carpet-bags. 

As we drove on, until nightfall, over a most abominable road, 
we whiled away the hours by chatting with " Virginia," whom 
we had already discovered to be a sensible, well-informed, and 
high-bred gentleman, of the old-fashioned Southern school. 
Among other matters, we discussed that much-vexed theme, the 
slavery question, but more particularly as to the effect. of this 
institution upon the welfare of the slave ; and upon this point, 
we found our friend to be excellently posted, for he was, himself, 
a considerable slave-holder, owning a large farm, and some 
eighty negroes, in the vicinity of Lexington, Mo., of whom, not 
more than thirty, as he assured us, really paid for their keeping. 

We are indebted to "Virginia" for much valuable informa- 
tion in regard to the mode of life, habits, morals and general 
management of slaves, as at present existing in Missouri ; and 
we very much regret that our business engagements prevented 
us from accepting an invitation, which was most kindly ten- 



A SOUTHERNER OX SLAVERY. 65 

dered, to visit his plantation and take up our abode at his resi- 
dence, where we could investigate the subject at our ease, enjoy 
some good shooting, and see negro slavery, not as Northern fana- 
tics would paint the picture, but as it really is to be found in 
many a Southern home, where the relation between the master 
and his slave is, in nine instances out of ten, a more kindly 
one than that which exists between the Eastern manufacturer 
and his sickly, pale-faced operative. 

And now we must ask the reader's indulgent criticism ; for 
it is no easy task, after an interval of weeks, to select from 
a mass of facts, stated in a rambling and oftentimes interrupted 
conversation, just such material as would be most interesting 
to the inquirer. We must, therefore, make the circumstances 
under which these things were told to us our best apology for 
the disjointed style in which we are compelled to present them. 
But let them tell their own story. 

Slave women differ very much in their affection for theii 
children ; some exhibit great solicitude for the welfare of their 
offspring, while others seem perfectly reckless as to their fate. 
The old women are, for the most part, employed in looking after 
the children and cabins during the absence of the negroes in the 
field ; this is the more necessary, as the young darkeys are won- 
derfully mischievous, as much so as juvenile monkeys ; indeed, 
were they left to themselves they would be quite as likely to 
amuse an idle hour by burning down the " old folks' cabin," as 
in any less incendiary way. When the youngsters get large 
enough, they are frequently taken into the planter's house, where 
they do light work, stuff themselves with eatables, and, in many 
instances, get petted until they become completely spoiled. 

Singular as it may appear, we find it very difficult to obtain 
good house-servants ; for the negro seems better fitted for out- 
door employment. This is even the case with those who are 
brought up in our houses, for as they approach the age of 



66 SLAVE MARRIAGES. 

fifteen or sixteen years, they grow restless and discontented, and 
begin to envy what they consider the greater amount of free- 
dom which falls to the share of the field-hands, who have their 
stated and regular hours for work, and are, therefore, at liberty, 
when their labor is done, to enjoy themselves, or, as a negro 
says, "joy themselves" in any way they please. 

We give our hands, both male and female, two full suits 
of clothes per annum, with under-clothing in proportion ; these 
suits are made of a coarse, but very warm and durable fabric, 
which costs between one and two dollars per yard. When 
one of our slaves desires to marry, he goes to his master, con- 
fesses the " soft impeachment," and asks his consent. If the 
object of his adoration belongs to another plantation, the mas- 
ter of the girl is waited upon for the same purpose. These 
requests are scarcely ever refused. As the negro has a great 
idea of doing things like " quality folks," their weddings are 
state occasions, where Cato and Pomp are expected to support 
their dignity by behaving with the utmost decorum ; while high- 
bred colored ladies show their " manners" to the fullest extent ; 
and though there be no presentation of plate at the nuptial 
feast, the bridal gifts are, nevertheless, of a very substantial 
kind ; for, beside the remembrances of their companions, it is 
usual for the planter to present the newly-married pair with a 
four-poster and mattress, or it may be a new brass kettle with 
which to set up house-keeping. The slave has also his little 
garden, which he may till with self-interest ; as an incentive, 
the proceeds are his own, to be disposed of as he thinks proper. 
He is also permitted to keep a hog, and, if he desires to do 
so, chickens. There is, probably, no slave who might not pur- 
chase his freedom, if he were so inclined and would exert him- 
self sufficiently to obtain the requisite means (for we are told 
that when such an intimation is made to the master, he 
is generally willing to value his servant at a much lower rate 



UNCLE TOM. 67 

than he would hold him at in negotiating with another 
party). 

" The negroes are usually particular in the moral training of 
their children. A sort of school was established upon my 
place, and kept up for some little time by an old negro of mine, 
quite an ' Uncle Tom ' in his way, who seeme'd to take great 
pleasure in attempting to teach the slave children, and for that 
matter, their parents, to read and write ; but it was labor thrown 
away, for though his pupils were zealous enough in undertaking 
their education, their literary courage soon oozed out, for your 
true African is anything but a book-worm. As regards tempera- 
ment and disposition, my negroes were formerly very gay; 
they were at it from morning till night ; the fiddle and the banjo 
made constant music in the quarters, dancing was the rage, and 
a ' hoe-down ' just the thing. But 

' A change came o'er the spirit of their dream,' 

they took a religious turn, and my Uncle Tom got up ' a 
revival,' which was what the preachers call ' most abundantly 
blessed.' The sable converts were numerous, and, as they would 
do nothing by halves, while on the road to salvation, the fiddle 
was tabooed — the banjo put away — dancing interdicted, and even 
the innocent 'hoe -down' voted a child of ' de debble,' and a 
1 mighty sure ' trap, to ' catch de sinful nigger's soul.' Since 
then the excitement has cooled down, and, as in similar cases 
among more refined people, many of the 'renewed,' have 
1 slipped back.' But the influence of the event, combined with 
the continual admonitions of my Uncle Tom, is still sufficient 
to restrain them from any extraordinary exhibition of their 
animal spirits. So we continue to miss their dancing, and 
instead of a harvest-song, get Old Hundred most dolefully lined 
out. 

" The negroes, for the most part, adopt the family name of their 



68 ALL ABOUT THE NIGGERS. 

respective masters, but the given name, or, more frequently, an 
abbreviation of it, is their only practical designation. In spite 
of all that has been said and written to the contrary, the negro 
women are generally chaste, and faithful to their lords. I have 
but one family upon my plantation whose women bear a doubtful 
character in this respect, and they are looked down upon and 
despised by their fellows. If one of my negroes falls sick, he 
sends word to the house, when my wife usually goes down to 
visit the patient, and if it be a simple matter, within the reach 
of our family medicine-chest, she prescribes, and treats the case 
herself. But if the symptoms are violent, or, the disease 
assume a graver character, we send immediately for a physician, 
the best that can be obtained. A negro's hopefulness is 
small. When ill, they lose much of their elasticity of mind, 
are low-spirited, highly superstitious, and quite ready to 
imagine that they are certainly 'going to die.' Our white 
children are very fond of playing with the negro boys, more so, 
I think, than with those of their own color. I have a couple 
of youngsters, who sometimes get into trouble with their colored 
playmates ; on these occasions it very frequently happens that 
my boys are thrown down, and sometimes get a sound thrashing 
from their sable companions, the children of my slaves, but, 
unless they have been manifestly imposed upon, I never inter- 
fere, but let them fight out their own battles. 

" As regards our method of slave discipline the whip is but sel- 
dom resorted to, and then only in extreme cases. An increase of 
labor, or a deprivation of some customary privilege, will usually 
suffice to bring the offender to his senses. A negro rarely 
suffers for an offence which he has not committed, for though 
the circumstantial evidence against him be ever so strong, 
when it comes to the moment of punishment, one of your old 
darkeys, of known character and discretion, will generally step 
out with some such expostulation as this : 



MISS DINAH. G9 

" ' Massa John, what you gwyne whip dat nigga for ? he no 
do it. More like to be dat lying nigga, Pete, Massa,' &c. 

" Christmas and ' Christmas week,' are the negro's great holi- 
days. They have other 'gala days,' but the anniversary of our 
Saviour's nativity, is the ' festival ' par excellence, of the slave. 

" I have quite a good-looking young negro girl, some sixteen 
years of age, who has been brought up as a house-servant in my 
family, and it is a matter of no little amusement to my wife and 
self, to watch this sable damsel getting through the difficulties 
of her first flirtation ; for she has a lover, a young fellow from 
a neighboring plantation, as black as black can be, who drops 
into our kitchen on Sunday evenings to ' hab de felicity to pay 
his respects to Miss Dinah/ but Miss Dinah is very modest, 
and prefers sending for some young colored girl about her own 
age, who ' plays propriety,' and assists her in entertaining 
'Mister Tom.'" 

And now, we have given the subject matter, if not something 
more, of our talk with the Virginian. 

Supper time brought us to Marshall, where we halted for the 
night, after accomplishing about half the journey to Lexington. 
The following is an extract from our "journal letter," of that 
day : 

Marshall, Saline Co., Mo., Dec. 14. 

We have progressed, since writing you from Boonsville, some 
forty miles upon our way, over such roads as no Christian ever 
dreamed of out of the Far-Western country, where every little 
" branch " is a creek, and every creek a swollen river. Yehicles 
are detained, horses killed, and passengers indulge in the use of 
strong expressions, until the voyageur begins to suspect, that if 
Job himself, of much enduring memory, had been sent (instead 
of being afflicted with boils, and a wife), to traverse, with 
his better half for a blister, the stage routes of the * Missouri 



70 A LOG CABIN' INTERIOR. 

bottom," he would have knocked under before the first change 
of horses. 

And apropos to the roads, we give our forethought credit, for, 
had we trusted to that " through ticket," of Smashup's, we 
would have been in Boonsville at this present writing, but being 
enterprising, we are here ; yet the exertion has cost us some- 
thing withal, for a long day's travel in an open hack, with De- 
cember's icy wind whistling in one's teeth, is a sorry joke, as our 
half-frozen limbs can testify. 

And now, could you look in upon us, you would echo the 
old saw, which tells us, that " one half the world don't know how 
the other half live." To locate ourself, then, let us give you an 
unvarnished description of the very primitive apartment in which 
we are now writing. It is the best, and almost the only room of a 
two-story " hotel," log-cabin ; a huge fire of Missouri coal blazes 
upon the hearth (the only cheerful-looking thing in the estab- 
lishment); the furniture consists of a large double-bed, of the 
old-fashioned, short-legged, four-poster breed, which fills up one 
corner of the room, and at present accommodates an almost sober 
stage-driver (who has turned in with his boots and overcoat on), 
and occasionally interrupts his nap by rolling over, with his 
face toward the company, so as to join in our conversation ; a 
very rickety wash-stand is placed opposite the bed, garnished with 
a tin hand-basin, not over clean, and a brace of empty whisky- 
bottles, one of which does duty as a candlestick ; over these 
hang a crooked looking-glass, which will caricature your face 
into a monkey's, if you are bold enough to consult its dusty sur- 
face ; or if you would regenerate your hair, look to the right of 
the mirror, where you will find a half-worn brush and very 
greasy comb, which are attached to long pieces of red tape, and 
hang pendant from the wall, pro bono publico; add to these, a 
rough board table, whose uncertain legs interfere sadly with our 
penmanship ; and a tallow dip in a sea-green brass candlestick, 



ROUGH SKETCHES. 71 

which reminds one strongly of a badly-managed revolving light, 
and you have an inventory of the regular accessories to this very 
primitive apartment. As for the irregulars, they are all around 
us ; for the dingy walls are literally papered with u circus bills," 
unreadable business cards, notices of sheriffs' sales, stray cat- 
tle, and patent medicines, "good for the chills f nor are these 
all ; cloaks, hats, and riding-whips are suspended from every 
available peg, and a rifle, flanked by its bullet-pouch and horn, 
rests above the door, while the tobacco-stained floor under our 
feet is littered with a mingling of buffalo over-shoes, robes, 
Mackinaws, and such like travelling gear. 

And oh ! if it were only in our line, how we should like to 
sketch in the group around the fire — but " we kant, we really 
kant," it isn't in ouer way. If we were Doesticks, or Dickens* 
or Widow Bedott, or somebody else, whose name doesn't occur 
to us just now, we might do them justice, but as we are ourself, 
and nothing more, we must confine our pen and ink delineations 
to an outline ; so here goes for a slap-dash description. 

" Misery makes strange companionships — so do°s travelling ; 
what incongruities — were ever such opposites united before ?" 

So ran our mental criticism, good reader, as our wind-dam- 
aged eyes wandered from one to another of our associates for 
the time being, and it was a mixture of which we shall give 
you a taste of the ingredients. 

In the very warmest corner — a seat most judiciously chosen — 
sat an old Yankee, with a long, sharp nose, and keen grey eyes, 
over which a pair of heavy eyebrows arched themselves ever 
and anon, as if they said, " Wael, I never — du tell I" These with a 
strip of yellow forehead, a bilious complexion, and a most unyielding 
head of hair, complete a face, which would have been a letter of 
credit for its owner's " all-fired smartness," from Persia to the 
Poles ; as for dress, Jonathan was rigged out in a coat, that 
was built among the granite hills of cold New Hampshire, or no- 



72 SOMETHING FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

where — a swallow-tailed thing, with huge pockets, and bright 
brass buttons ; to this add a generous allowance of shirt-collar, a 
free-and-easy neck'erchief, a pair of striped breeches, whose legs 
were a world too short for his long shanks, and an unpolished 
sample of eastern-made boots, and we flatter ourself that you 
have a tolerably correct likeness of as unmitigated a Yankee as 
ever whittled a stick, or talked about "hum," as connected with 
the land of wooden nutmegs. 

Xext to the Yankee, sat our friend the Yirginian, the living 
antipodes of the character which we have just been attempting to 
portray. In face and form he was just what " sweet sixteen," 
with her pretty head filled with 

" Tales of old romance," 

would have fallen in love with at first sight. Yes, there's no 
denying it, for though " verging upon the forties," " Yirginia" 
was as gallant a looking fellow as you would meet with in a long 
day's march. And for his age, why, as the fire-light brings out 
his features into bolder relief, we are disposed to think, that the 
hand of Time has dealt wisely with him, in strengthening 
the lines of the mouth and brow, and thereby adding a maturer 
dignity, ere in his ceaseless flight he brings the strong man to 
the full perfection of meridian life. Yirginia is over six feet in 
height, well proportioned, and very Spanish in his style, for his 
hair and flowing beard are dark " as the raven's wing," with 
eyes to match. Take him all in all, he is a true sou of the Old 
Dominion, an F. F. Y. " sans pew et sans rcproche" whose 
dress, and air, and manner, somewhat imperious though it be, 
bespeak the gentleman born and bred, of the real Yirginian 
school, where men are men, not black-coated fops. 

And now we crave room, plenty of room, or he may " clar 
the ground " himself, for another character, and a peculiar one 
withal. He is a type of the genus " Border Ruffian," a frontier 



A BORDER RUFFIAN. ?3 

Missourian, just fresh from the Kansas Wars, where he has been 
figuring as an incendiary Pro-Slavery volunteer, and " don't kear a 
dog-gaun who knows it." He is a tall, gaunt man, all bone and 
muscle, with ape-like limbs, cast in no classic mould, but never- 
theless sufficiently strong to " wrap 'em a'way round a b'ar." and 
make Bruin grunt with anguish at every hug. In short, you 
may regard him as a fair exponent of that eccentric class of 
Western men, who, being persons of terrible experiences, claim to 
" scream louder, jump higher, shoot closer, get more drunk at 
night, and wake up more sober in the morning " than " any 
other human" this side of the Rocky Mountains, and "ef you 
don't believe it " it's " I'm easy to whip, stranger, I am, just 
pitch in, will yeou, and don't stand on ceremony," with, mayhap, 
a flourish from a horn-handled bowie-knife to second the invitation. 

Our Border Ruffian is just now regarding the Yankee as if he 
would give the best horse he ever rode for a reasonable excuse 
to "jump him up," but the returned volunteer "will hardly get 
a chance ; for though Jonathan evidently dislikes his neighbor, 
he has no notion of engaging in a row, where he " don't feel him- 
self to hum." 

The Borderer is careless, even to a fault, in his costume ; he 
sports a sky-blue blanket overcoat (a favorite color in Missouri), 
from the side-pocket of which the butt " of a six-shooter peeps 
threateningly out, and if you will take a look into his right boot- 
leg, we should say that a serviceable bowie-knife might be found 
inserted between the leather and his tucked-in Kentucky jean 
pantaloons. He has hard, weather-beaten features, long brown 
hair, and a restless eye ; his teeth are good, and his mouth, 
though somewhat large, might have been called handsome ; but 
an inveterate habit of tobacco-chewing has drawn down the left 
corner, from whence a leak lets the juice of the weed dribble 
gently down. 

How do you like our last effort, Miss Precise ? — think it 

4 



14 MISS PRECISE. 

colored hey ? Not at all ; it's done in simple white and black, 
nothing more we assure you, but you think he's a " horrid 
beast." Oh, you do ; well, we congratulate ourself twice ; first, 
that we are not your big brother ; and secondly, that the subject 
of our sketch is unacquainted with your very flattering opinion 
of him. But seriously, Miss Precise, did you never hear of 
an unpolished gem ? Never mind our Borderer's rough-setting. 
He is a diamond of the purest water for all that. An honest 
single-hearted sort of creature, rather Indian in his nature, who 
loves and hates with equal zeal. He'd cut your throat if you 
insulted him, and his idea of an insult includes any disparagement 
of the South or her peculiar institutions ; but on the other hand, 
he would share his last dollar with you if you needed it, and if 
a woman or a child be in the case, he is one of the tenderest 
hearted fellows in the world. Of such are Kit Carson, born in 
Boonslick County, Missouri, and the whole-souled pioneer men of 
the Far West. 

But our outline has already tempted us too far from our 
marked-out track. We have yet to reach Kansas and the 
War, and these digressions delay one sadly ; so complete our 
fire-side group with a stage-driver (not the gentleman on the 
bed), a " Hoosier," a trio of hog-drivers, a Missouri landlord, 
and a " special correspondent," and then fill in the picture to 
suit yourself. 

One paragraph more, and we will complete our journalizing in 
Marshall. We are writing in a mild Bedlam. The Demon of poli- 
tics has stirred up our companions. The Free State war is 
before the house. The Yankee is defining his position. The 
Missourians, with equal earnestness, are defending theirs. The 
arguments on both sides grow " fast and furious," and already 
threaten personalities ; and, to crown all, the sound of " de 
fiddle and de bow" is to be heard from an adjoining cabin, 
where a long-legged Kentucky amateur plays a tuneful violin, 



BEDLAM. T5 

and a nigger, stripped to his breeches and shirt, is ''breaking 
down " to that good old tune " The Arkansas Traveller," as if 
his life depended upon the elasticity of his legs. 

Dec. 15. — Breakfast over — sun just getting out of a snow- 
bank — hack at the door — Virginia and ourself inside — carpet- 
bags ditto ; we drive off. Stop, hold on : we have forgotten 
something — our note-book was missing. We go back to look 
up the lost sheep, and reenter the " hotel " just in time to hear 
a Missourian say : 

" That man — why, he's a correspondent of that vile Abolition 
paper, the New York Herald." 

We concluded that the "schoolmaster" might be "abroad" 
in Marshall, but didn't think it probable. We recovered our 
property, and then made good our retreat without beat of drum. 
41 That vile Abolition paper, the Herald " — 0, Tempora ! 0, 
Moses ! as Mrs. Partington feelingly remarked, when Ike tumbled 
into the barrel of soft soap : " Isn't it a blessed thing to edito- 
rialize for an appreciative public ?" 

Another miserable day, and more of it. Virginia too cold to 
talk, and "your correspondent" too sleepy. Nigger Jim, who 
has a bottle of Red-eye whisky, " warranted to kill forty rods 
round the corner," in his pocket, thaws out under its influence and 
become gradually enthusiastic, whereupon we ask Nigga Jim what 
lie thinks about the " Kansas War," who makes answer as follows : 

11 Can't say, massa ; never form no 'pinion ; dis nigger ain't 
a gwyne to 'stress himself bout politics ; don't reckon much on 
dese Abolitionists, no how ; but jest know dis, massa, clat dis 
nigga's jest as happy and 'joys himself as much as if he owned 
de whole town of Lexington ; bein' slave is may-be mighty 
hard on white folks, but it's dreadful good for nigga." 

We fell asleep well satisfied, for we had gained a new idea, 
or, to speak more correctly, had an old one verified, by 
evidence from a " most undoubted authority," whose opportu- 



76 THE PEACE-MAKER. 

nities for acquiring practical information rendered him well 
qualified to judge. 

Night-fall again — sun down in another snow-bank — a streak 
or two of yellowish white light in the West — dark grey clouds 
overhead, while 

" Out of those frozen clouds the snow 
In wavering flakes begins to flow." 

We enter Lexington " City," and draw up at the door of Wal- 
ton's Hotel. The hack is halted — the door opens — we descend, 
and our carpet-bag follows. The fare, as stipulated in Boons- 
ville by " the party of the first part," is duly paid, and Nigga 
Jim and " Our Correspondent" are parted for ever. 

An hourjater — inside the hotel — we have had supper, and a 
difficulty with the landlord, by way of dessert ; it has, however, 
just been arranged in a highly satisfactory manner to both par- 
ties, by a visit to "the bar," by which the reader may under- 
stand, not the bar of justice, but the "saloon" next door ; and 
we consider it about as cheap a row, by the way, as we ever got 
into in our life ; for a " drink" of old Rye (which is at times 
regarded in Missouri as the pledge of peace, though it is oftener 
the cause of feud), costs just one dime per glass ; so that our 
late difficulty with " mine host " stood us in twenty cents pre- 
cisely, a clear saving of lawyers' fees and costs of court, not to 
mention vexation and the possible necessity of "a surgeon and 
a friend" in the morning — think of this, ye pugnacious people, 
but two dimes to settle a fight ; mirabile didu! was there ever 
so cheap a luxury ? 

Eight o'clock, p. m : we are solus, with a bed-chamber, two 
tallow candles, a shaky table, and pen, ink and paper for com- 
pany ; with which, half-past eight found us writing away at our 
Journal, for the subject matter of which see the next chapter. 



BEATING THE MAIL. 11 



CHAPTER VII. 

LEXINGTON. 

As our location indicates, we are still en route for Kansas ; 
but, n'importe, we are in advance of the mail, and did mean to 
have continued so, but at this place, we have come to a dead 
lock ; for, until the stage arrives, there will be nothing going 
on, we fear (alas !) in any respect. We might "foot it," it is 
true, and would ; but there's our carpet-bag — ah ! that's a draw- 
back ; and then, what with broken bridges (we crossed one 
chained to a tree to-day, to keep it from sloping down stream), 
swollen streams, swampy bottom-lands, and rut-ploughed prairie 
roads, the De'il himself couldn't make much headway on his own 
private hoofs, even with the assistance of his tail for a cane, 
over a Missouri highway in winter. So " Shank's mare " is not 
to be thought of ; but there's some hope left still, though it be 
founded upon possibilities, for this untoward weather cannot last 
for ever ; and then the stage may come up; and we may get a 
seat, and thus reach Westport, if we have very great good 
luck, within four and twenty hours from this present writing, 
when, " please the grunters," we will enter Kansas — yea, even 
though it should be through an army of Border Ruffians and 
upon the rump of a Mexican jackass. 

O Kansas ! Kansas ! Thou longed for " haven where we 
would be," but not " at rest," when shall we tread thy snow- 



78 GAS. 

clad prairies, and gaze upon thy Lawrence — the hope and 
pride of thy Free State men's eyes — a locality which must, from 
this day forward, be more than classic ground to every " Woolly 
Head," of the veteran white-coated brigade ? Oh ! would that 
we had been there when the bloody ensign hung out upou the 
outer wall of that beleaguered city. Would we not have 
11 pitched in ?" Ah ! no, but we'd have sat, like Marias among the 
ruins of Carthage, or anybody else you please, with a grey-goose 
quill in our fur-mittencd right hand, and taken notes in most 
unreadable abbreviations. Aye, that we would, even among 
"flames and blazes," the 

" Wreck of matter and the crush of worlds." 

So much for fun — we'll grow more serious anon. 

Sunday, Dec. l&h. — We held converse to-day with a number 
of Missourians, who have just returned from " the seat of War, 
in Kansas," where they have been serving in the ranks of the 
Pro-Slavery, or, as some call it, Governor Shannon's army. They 
are full of talk about " the War ;" indeed, to do the good people 
in this vicinity justice, Kansas, and " the vile Abolitionists," are 
in everybody's mouth. They are shouted in the bar-rooms, they 
are sounded in the streets, until the very parlors catch the oft- 
repeated echoes, and packages of Missourian beauty, done up 
with care, in the last new fashion from New York (and a very 
liberal one it is, so far as hoops and flounces are concerned), 
talk resistance and disunion as they discuss " Kansas and the 
Wakarusa War." We have even heard of an enthusiastic fair 
one, residing in the territory, who declined giving her hand to a 
gentleman Free-Soiler in the dance, alleging as a reason, that she 
was a Border Ruffian, and under such circumstances, wouldn't 
get up " an affinity " with any " Cromwell of them all." 

The Kansas excitement is certainly at a white heat in this 
region. Old men shake their heads and express decided opinions 



19 

while young Missouri, yet more determined, looks revolvers, and 
talks bowie-knives, as he openly declares that " the boys ought 
never to have left an infernal Abolitionist alive in Lawrence." 

Among those with whom we have talked the matter over to- 
day, was an aide-de-camp of General Strickler's, who has just 
returned from his arduous campaign, with what, to our thinking, 
may not improperly be called the Field and Staff Brigade, for, 
may we be placed in that extremity, if we have as yet seen a 
man, of all those " fire-eating" sons of Missouri, who volunteered 
" for the war," who was not a subaltern at the very least. The 
Colonel (we think that was his title, and desire to apologize if 
we underrate his rank), informed us that he had written a short 
history of the " Wakarusa War." We were most anxious to 
see it, and therefore intimated to the aide-de-camp that his 
manuscript, or even an abridgment of its contents, would be a 
very acceptable addition to our gleanings of intelligence by the 
way. But the gallant Colonel's modesty got the better of his 
desire to oblige us, so we shall therefore be compelled, though 
most reluctantly, to disappoint public curiosity, so far as the 
publication of our Pro-Slavery military friend's reminiscences 
are concerned, though we offered " a first-rate notice" as an 
inducement, and the New-York Herald for a publisher. 

While engaged in conversation with this gentleman, Col. 
Walton (mine host of the city, and formerly an officer of 
Doniphan's command), called our attention to a burly, black- 
smithy looking dark-complexioned individual, in the general sit- 
ting-room, which adjoined that in which which we were standing. 
The person poiuted out seemed, for some reason, but for what 
we could not understand, to be the cynosure of every eye ; nor 
were the glances directed toward him of either a flattering or 
an amicable description ; on the contrary, men scrutinized him as 
they might have examined a newly-imported wild animal at a 
show, and then nodded their heads, and jogged the elbows of 



80 PARSON CLARKE. 

their neighbors, who looked up and stared as if Barnum's mer- 
maid had just walked out of the glass case, with her tail under 
her arm. 

" It's him." 

"It isn't." 

" It's that rascally Abolitionist, I tell you. I'd know him 
among a thousand," were the muttered comments of those about us. 

" Who is it ?" we asked. 

" Why it's P ," answered mine host. 

"But who is P ?" 

"Why P is the prisoner that our people took, as he 

was travelling from Lawrence to Lecompton. He is one of the 
Tree State men, an agent, the financial one, I believe, of the 
Kansas Emigrant Aid Society, and a prominent man among the 
Abolitionists beside. He is now travelling under the name of 
Clarke, and claims to be a Baptist preacher, but he might save him- 
self the trouble, for there are fifty men here who recognize him." 

Whew ! thought we — " the murder's out." Here, then, is one 
of the famous Lawrence men, a bona fide sample of those doughty 
warriors, who are setting the American world by the ears. One 
of the Free State Sharpe's rifle and Colt's revolver breed — a 
veritable specimen, all alive and kicking. We got excited, we 
already scented a column of private information, " exclusive to the 
Herald," from the Yankee side of the questiou. So we deter- 
mined to make P 's acquaintance, even at the risk of being 

taken for "a bird of that feather," in which case our chance of 
being lynched for a Down Eastern Agitator, who might or might 
not " steal niggers," as opportunity offered, would have been 
exceedingly good. 

" Introduce us," cried we to Col. Walton. 

We were led up accordingly. Pro-Slavery men, with whom 
we had previously been conversing in a very amiable way, 
looked ferocious, but we didn't quail. 



THE FREE STATE GENERAL. 81 

" General P , let me make you acquainted with Mr. 

— . The Special Correspondent for Kansas, of the New York 



Herald." We exchange the usual compliments, and the fol- 
lowing dialogue ensues : 

Correspondent. — So, General P , you are just from 

Lawrence ? 

Free State General. — Yes sir, I was a prisoner in General 
Stickler's camp for four or five days. They took me as I was 
travelling. 

Correspondent. — Is it possible ? We hope they used you well. 
Did they threaten you ? We presume, however, that they did. 

Free State General. — Yes, the rabble, that is, the common 
men, threatened me, but their officers restrained them. 

Correspondent. — Oh ! the officers took care of you, did they ? 
Well I suppose they gave you plenty of corn dodgers, good coffee, 
and all that sort of thing ? 

Free State General. — Yes, I lived as well as the officers. 
I was liberated about the time that the troubles were settled, 
but they took me out of their camp (the one on the Wakarusa 
creek), very quietly at midnight, when they let me go, for it was 
supposed by the Pro-Slavery leaders that their soldiers might 
do me a mischief if I fell into their hands. So General Stick- 
ler, with General Richardson, and Senator Atchinson, released 
me secretly for fear of the mob. 

Correspondent. — Now, General P , could you not give 

us some notion of the state of affairs at Lawrence ? How about 
those " breast-works," cannon, Sharpe's rifles, &c? We learn that 
your people had a white flag flying over Doctor Robinson's 
house (the Commander in Chief of the Free State Army). Is 
that so, and what terms did you make finally ? Come, post us 
up, let us have the items. The readers of the New York 
Herald will be glad to hear your story. Nothing like both 
sides of the question being fairly stated, you know. 

4* • 



82 ITEMS. 

Free State General. — Well, I guess the New York papers 
know all about it now. The Tribune's had a man out there these 
six weeks, a person named Winchell, or something- like that. 
Then, there's Phillips, he writes letters for the New York Times, 
and Tom Sbankland too, he sends news to the Tribune some- 
times ; I reckon they have heard all about it by telegraph, any- 
how. 

(We intimated that the telegraph wires were down, and 
communication by mail at that season of the year, very un- 
certain.) General P continues : — 

"Well, as to the breast-works, we had them, I can tell you, 
with trenches, and rifle-pits too ; I guess they cost as much as 
five thousand dollars. We didn't have as many men as was 
reported, but we had a cannon and plenty of Sharp's rifles. 
There was a white flag a-flying over Doctor Robinson's house. 
Doctor Robinson was down in the town, and his women folks 
hoisted it. As to the terms of the capitulation, there's all sorts 
of stories about it, but I guess there was no particular agree- 
ment, anyhow. That's what it will turn out to be in the end, 
we didn't give up our arms nor agree to do so, either." 

(Note: We fancy there was some mistake, or it may be a 

desire on the part of Gen. P to mislead us, as to his 

knowledge of this treaty ; for Gen. Robinson afterwards gave 

us to understand that P was acquainted with the terms 

of the treaty at the time when this conversation took place. In- 
deed Gen. Robinson supposed that it was from him that we 
obtained copies of the "stipulations" agreed upon between 
Governor Shannon and the Free State leaders, with its accom- 
panying document. In this, however, he is mistaken, for 
though we certainly did make accurate transcripts of these papers 
previous to our entering Kansas, and at a time when it was 
presumed that there were but three copies in existence, we 
received them from another quarter, a gentleman deep in 



CLARKE, ALIAS P — . S3 

the councils of the Free State party, but whose name we are in 
honor bound not to divulge.) 

Correspondent. — With such excellent opportunities as you 
must have possessed for forming a correct judgment, General 
P , your opinion as to the cause and growth of these distur- 
bances at Lawrence, would be valuable ; could you favor us 
with it ? 

Free. State General. — Well, I guess it was just a misunderstand- 
ing all around and nothing more. Some folks in Lawrence are 
mightily hot-headed one way, and some the other. There are 
people among the Free Soilers who made a great deal of 
talk and stirred things up considerable, but I guess they would 
have been ivanting if it had come to a fight ; and then there's 
others who kept still, and didn't say much, that would have 
fought till they died. 

Correspondent. — Who are the real leaders of this Free State 
movement at Lawrence ? 

Free State General. — Well, General Lane I guess, and 
Doctor Robinson too, are leading men. 

Here the " down stage " in which General P alias Mr. 

Sam Clarke (for our Free State " mititaire" had, as Col. 
Walton informed us, found it more convenient, and it may be 
safer, to register himself in that name, of which more anon), had 
taken his seat, was reported ready. Whereupon the General 
turned to us and said : — 

" Mr. , as you are collecting information in regard to Kan- 
sas matters, for the Herald, I will give you a letter to some of 
the Lawrence people ; it will help you along." 

As we were very willing to be " helped along" so far as our 
fact-gathering was concerned, we expressed our willingness to 
receive any documents which might tend to the elucidation of 
that very knotty problem, the state of affairs in Kansas. Where- 
upon, the General very politely stepped up to the landlord's 



84 A TERRIBLE ALTERNATIVE. 

desk and in a few moments furnished us with a specimen of his 
chirography in the shape of a brief letter of introduction to 
Doctor Robinson, the chief -par excellence of the Free State move- 
ment in Kansas for which the giver will be pleased to accept our 
thanks, but may the Peace Society deliver us, if these blood- 
thirsty and fire-eating Missourians should catch us with such a 
document upon our person ; for it would most assuredly be our 
credential to anything but a polite reception ; indeed, we should 
expect a coat of tar and feathers at the very least ; or, as a ter- 
rible alternative, be obliged to prove the soundness of our poli- 
tical principles ; and, as the Border Ruffians express it, show 
ourself to be " all right upon the goose," by accepting a planta- 
tion with half a hundred " niggars," and adding a guarantee to 
shake out the remainder of our days upon the rich timber-land 
of the " Missouri bottom." 

And now to write more seriously : during our passage through 
Missouri, we have been studying the "genius of the people" 
pretty constantly, and we think that we may now safely say, 
that the good citizens of this State, though, as a general thing, 
endowed with a fair proportion of hard common sense, are still 
somewhat fallible, not to say stupid, in their very summary 
way of judging Eastern, or Free-State-born men ; for they 
would appear to be firm believers in the adage, that " none can 
touch pitch and not be defiled." To have been " raised " on Deown 
East Johnny-cakes, or even Ohio corn, is a certificate in full for 
Abolitionism and fanatical proclivities, or Free Soilism at the best. 
Indeed, the "black North" is but little understood ; for, as we 
stated in our journalizing from Marshall, we heard ourself spoken 
of as " an agent for that vile Abolition paper, the Herald ;" the 
Herald, a good joke is it not ? yes, it may be to you, but we've 
made a mental note of it, nevertheless, and don't intend to come 
West again, as a newspaper correspondent, at any price, unless 
" our paper " furnishes us with the political character of the 



OFF THE TRACK, 85 

sheet, so "fairly writ" as to please everybody, with, if you 
please, a certificate appended, to the effect that the New York 
Herald don't and never did belong to the " Woolly Head " fac- 
tion, or its representatives. But we must cry a truce to this, 
for we find that we have been imitating the example of the 
Camden and Amboy railroad, insomuch as we are running off 
the track of our subject, in trying to get on ; so, lest we should 
carry out the simile, and conclude with a " smash up," we will 
even "get back to our mutton," which, by this time, must be 
moderately cold. 

Let us see — we were in the bar-room of the Lexington City 
Hotel, hearing everybody talk Kansas. Well, our friend, Gen- 
eral P , got off with a whole skin, somewhat, as we fancied, 

to his surprise, for he made a most obsequious bow to the little 
crowd of Lexingtonians, who gathered round him as he mounted 
the steps of the stage, from whence his " I wish you a very good 
morning, gentlemen," was evidently spoken in deprecation of 
any contemplated violence to his person, for though it was a 
sort of farewell benediction, and nothing more, it seemed to say, 
" don't hurt me, if you please, I'm only one, and so little ; now 
be merciful, and don't." 

Upon returning to the store, to rejoin what Dickens, in his 
American "Diary" (where he "handles us without gloves") 
would have called the circle of tobacco-spitters, we found the 
generality of the crowd all busily engaged in warming themselves 
physically, by the fire, while they heated their indignation by a 
discourse, in which that accursed thing, " Abolitionism," figured 

as the text, and General P as a " horrible example." 

To have listened to the running fire of injurious observations, 
which was kept up on every side, one might have supposed that 
a contribution-box, labelled " Proofs of depravity, as exhibited 

in the political character of Mr. Abolitionist P ; the 

smallest favors thankfully received," was being passed round, so 



86 FREE SOU, P 

anxious seemed every one to pitch in his mite. From the sum 
total of these collections, after duly counting the receipts, and 
throwing out a quantity of base metal, we have gathered the 
following : 

That Mr. Abolitionist, or Free Soil P was travelling 

under the name, as before stated, of Sam Clarke (this we verified 
by the hotel register), wfto, as Sam Clarke, claimed to be a Bap- 
tist preacher, whether " Hard Shell," or " Close Communion," 
this deponent is not prepared to say, but that the soi disant 

Sam was really named P , who had been a Free State 

warrior 

" Of indifferent fame," 

but who was better known as a financial agent of the "Eastern 
Aid Societies." Indeed, as we afterwards ascertained from 

Governor Shannon, P had upwards of fifteen thousand 

dollars in money and drafts upon his person, when arrested by 

the Pro-Slavery scouts. P 's reason for travelling as Mr. 

Sam Clarke (as we understand it to have been stated by him- 
self to others), is as follows : 

" I had a clerk in Kansas named Sam Clarke, and wanted to 
send him to St. Louis on business. I accordingly took a place 
for him in the stage ; but when the time came for him to go, he 
" took to chilling" (that is to say, had fever and ague), and was, 
therefore, unable to start, so I took his place and used his name." 

All right, general ; but, as Colonel Walton of the city very 
pertinently remarked, "Was it necessary that you should eat 
and sleep as Sam Clarke, as well as ride for him ?" 



FRIEND BROAD-BRIM. 81 



CHAPTER VIII. 

TREATS OF THINGS RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR. 

Apropos to would-be preachers — but not always to such like — 
Governor Shannon afterwards related to us a good story, which, 
though it be a digression, may as well find its way into these 
pages before we enter upon the grand " theatre of events." 

There is now living at what is called the Quaker Indian Mission, 
which is located on the Indian Reserve and within three miles of 
the Shawnee manual labor school, where the Governor has estab- 
lished his temporary residence, an old Quaker who is, for aught we 
know to the contrary, everything which a disciple of William Penn 
—even of the " straightest sect "—ought to be. But we all have 
our little failings— as somebody once said of Mr. Seven Stars' 
fondness for the ladies ; and in our Broad Brim's case, politics 
were an " amiable weakness." He went in for Reeder, to speak 
figuratively, body and boots ; and not only to the extent of his 
own body and boots, but even to those of his neighbors, as what 
we are about to state, on Shannon's authority, will abundantly 
prove. The election for delegate to Congress— we think it 
was— came on ; and the backers of Reeder were not backward 
in casting in their paper mites at the ballot-box ; among others 
friend Broad Brim, as we shall call him, came also, even as did 
Satan of old. He voted once ; he voted twice ; he voted 
thrice ; yea, a fourth time ; and, verily, a fifth : and every time 
for Reeder, and " nary lick" for anybody else. Now, how did 



88 HENRY CLAY INSULTED. 

he, a pious and a God-fearing man, manage it ? or, how could 
he " do this thing" and still compound with his conscience, and, 
what is almost as much to the purpose, clear his skirts before 
his brother Broad Brims of " the meeting ?" Reader, he did it 
thus : he voted once for himself, and on four other occasions, at 
the same ballot-box and for the same candidate, as a proxy 
for his particular friends, Messrs. A., B., C, and D., all of 
whom, as he affirmed, would have voted for Reeder, but unfor- 
tunately wa'nt there to do so. 

We understand that this mode of voting by proxy was exten- 
sively permitted, and we fancy upon both sides, in Kansas. They 
have singular notions in the West. 

But this is not the only peculiarity about friend Broad Brim; 
he is, at least so says Dame Rumor, a red-hot Emancipationist; 
and once, when Henry Clay, the " Harry of the West " was ad- 
dressing a large political meeting at Indianapolis, la., of which 
assemblage friend Broad Brim formed a unit, this identical old 
Quaker stepped forward, and insulted the great statesman and 
orator, whose memory is enshrined in so many thousands of 
American hearts, by rudely breaking in upon his remarks, and 
crying out, " Why don't you liberate your niggers ? Go home 
and do it before you talk to us." Or, as the military courts say, 
11 words to that effect." 

It is reported that Clay paused, looked at him for a moment, 
and then said : " Go home, sir, yourself, and attend to your own 
business, for my slaves are better fed, better clothed, and, judg- 
ing from your very abrupt interruption of my remarks, better 
mannered than yourself." 

Rumor adds, that upon receiving this very pointed rebuke, 
friend Broad Brim settled down an inch or two in his boots, 
and then slunk away, so marvellously discomfited that he is even 
reported (in his extreme agitation) to have uncovered and made 
a hasty exit from the room, minus his sombrero. 



THE ARREST. 89 

But to return to our " tobacco-spitters;" their indictment fur- 
ther set forth that Mr. Free Soil P (for if he travel 

with one alias, why should we not provide him with another ?) 
was riding near the picket-guards of the Pro-Slavery, or " law- 
executing array, 11 then encamped upon the Wakarusa creek, 

in the vicinity of Lawrence ; that Mr. Free Soil P was 

requested, somewhat abruptly, to halt, by the Pro-Slavery 

picket aforesaid, which he, P , seemed unwilling to do, 

until a Pro-Slavery man had argued him into it by drawing a 
bead upon him with his long Missouri rifle, one of " Jake Hawkins' 
best," and bound to " shoot centre " anywhere within two hun- 
dred yards. The charge goes on to state that our Free Soiler, 
having halted, did, thereupon, like Major Andre of Revolu- 
tionary memory, offer then and there ten dollars in current 
"shin-plasters" to bribe his captors into liberating him, at the 
same time stating that he was travelling upon urgent business, 
and would willingly sacrifice even that amount for the privilege 
of " getting on." But our Missourian was a second Van Woert — 
a wag, and moreover a patriot of that stern and inflexible school 
who never make good aldermen. It is, therefore, upon record, 
that he accepted the pecuniary consideration without demur, and 
did immediately convey the same into the recesses of his breeches 
pocket, whereupon Mr. Free Soil, thinking it was " all arranged," 
made another effort to progress, when he was once more de- 
tained by the facetious Missourian, who, without reflecting that 
he was " adding insult to injury," was so impolite as to apply 
the end of his thumb to the tip of his nose, at the same time 
extending the remaining digits and gently agitating them in the 
air. But while we thus digress, Mr. Free Soiler is still ten 
dollars out of pocket, and only half captured to boot. ]S T ot 
content with this indignity, the Pro-Slavery man next proceeded 
to " bag," a la South Africa Cummings, the person of Mr. Free 
Soil, and carry him, will-I nill-I, into General Stickler's camp, 



90 AN INDEPENDENT VOLUNTEER. 

where their despondent prisoner arrived in a most miserable 
state of bodily fear, not to mention mental trepidation. Here 
the advocate of darkey rights was placed under guard, if we heard 
aright, in General Strickler's own marquee. He had not been 
there long, before one of his captors, the ten dollar man, ap- 
proached Gen. Strickler, who was standing beside his quarters, 
when the following decidedly unmilitary dialogue ensued between 
the Brigadier and his " high private:" 

High Private. — General, I want the prisoner to come out 
hyar, I've got some of the old cock's money and want to give it 
to him. 

General. — It can't be done, sir, I can't permit him to come 
out, but I can pass you in. 

" But I tell you, General Strickler," urged this unabashed 
representative of the citizen soldiery, " I must see him." 

How the General settled this delicate point of military eti- 
quette we are unable to say, but certain it is, that when captor 
met captive, the former handed out the X, with a " Here, old 
cock, is your money, I dont kear about it." 

It is reported, that before P 's liberation from his con- 
finement as a " prisoner of war," in the Wakarusa camp, he was 
overheard talking to a fellow-captive who had been brought in 
that day (and who being in great fear of his life, which he 
already considered sacrificed to the bloodthirstiness of the Bor- 
der Ruffians, whom the Free State people hold to be little 
better than devils without horns, was shedding tears copiously), 
in the following strain: 

" Don't be alarmed, my dear sir, don't be alarmed. You 
may consider yourself as being now in the very safest place which 
this section of the country can afford." 

And now a word for Lexington. It is really ''considerable 
of a place ;" a sort of nine pound baby city, healthy and likely 
to grow, with perhaps this very Western drawback that '■ the 



SUNDAY AT LEXINGTON. 01 

town is so large you scarce can see the houses.'' To-day, Sunday, 
dawned upon it gloriously, until even the leafless trees of the 
broad " Missouri bottom," brightened up under its influence, 
and as the pretty (?) girls came tripping by in answer to " the 
church-going bell," we fairly caught the infection, donned our 
" Sunday-go-to-meeting " gear, got a nigger to re-touch our 
boots, slicked our whiskers up, and our hair down, and then, 
took the field, armed with a pocket edition of the " Psalms and 
Hymns," to find some " sect" with whom to fraternize in their 
worship, and we were not, all things considered, very long in 
accomplishing it — a result which was effected by mingling 
with a " living stream," albeit, somewhat thin, who were then 
on their way to be " refreshed with the Word," as it is 
preached by the Groaners, a branch of the "Hard Shells." And 
verily, "in all our rough experience of harm," as the Yankee 
Skipper has it, I never before had met so strange a " meeting- 
house." But never mind an exterior description ; we won't 
comment upon the outside, but reserve ourself for the interior. So, 
as far as the building goes, you may imagine almost any sort of 
oddity that you please. The ancient and modern styles of 
architecture, for instance, trying to cross the breed, and " eventu- 
ating" a monstrosity, may, perhaps, be not very far out of the 
way. This " particular kind of Religionists," as the sermom on 
" a Harp of a thousand strings " has it, is, we understand, 
quite fashionable in Missouri, and if the specimen of the per- 
suasion which we beheld in Lexington, be a fair criterion, there 
must be a deal of fun in them. If you don't believe it, my 
vinegar-faced friend, just read the following, and judge for yourself : 
We reached the church (we beg the church's pardon, meet- 
ing-house, we should have said), entered, and got an unnoticeable 
seat. The service was already under way when we arrived, for 
we had been vain enough to hold on, in some hope of creating 
a sensation among the rural damsels by the display of what a 



92 THE GR0ANERS. 

Missourian would call " store clothes," " which, alas ! have since 
then found a most unnatural end in Kansas f but we are antici- 
pating. 

Their minister was certainly a study, he had just such a 
face and air as a clever artist might have chosen to char- 
acterize the bell-wether of some hill-hiding Covenanter flock. 
In short, it was stern, hard, and uncompromising. ISTor was 
his garb less singular, for he sported (may we be forgiven 
for the phrase), a snuffy-brown coat, of strange and anti- 
quated cut, which bore but too evident tokens of long and not 
over careful usage. The continuations were of yellowish-grey 
cloth, with stove-pipe legs, built like an Irishman's hurricane, 
" straight up and down," and encased below the knees in 
serviceable-looking buckskin riding-leathers, well stained with 
Missouri mud ; add to these a pair of buffalo overshoes, a sur- 
prising shirt collar, and a wonderfully starched linen cravat, 
whose complicated folds and puritanical stiffness would have 
broken a " New York washerwoman's heart at first sight," and 
you will have a very accurate delineation of this reverend gen- 
tleman's outer man. We must not forget, however, a pair of 
wide-bowed horn spectacles which divided their time between 
the top of his venerable head, and the bridge of an independ- 
ently cocked-up nose, thereby adding not a little to the gro- 
tesqueness of this somewhat unclerical tout ensemble. 

The text we have forgotten, for w r e always forget texts, nor 
can we at this present call to mind the precise locality in which 
it " am to be found," but to make another extract from that 
much-quoted discourse, by "the capting of a Mississippi flat- 
boat," " It air to be discovered in the leds of the Scripters, and 
somewhar between the book of Generations and the book of 
Revolutions." 

As for the " sermonizing,"' it was literally and distinctly some, 
being quite a la Elder Knapp, or in other words, a sort of uni- 



PARSON JONES AND DEACON GRAVES. 93 

versal raking over the coals, with a promise of a bigger fire to 
come, for not going to prayer-meetings, winding up with a spe- 
cial allusion to one unlucky night, upon which the parson and a 
certain deacon Ephraim Graves had been the only persons "on 
hand," a shortcoming which proved fatal to that evening's ex- 
ercises, for how could they do the psalmody in an orthodox way, 
when, as Parson Jones expressed it, " Deacon Graves couldn't 
sing nary lick, and he himself was hoarser nor an owl." 

A lack of attention to the Ten Commandments in general, and 
to the minister in particular, was also a theme upon which our 
preacher waxed not only eloquent but personal. But to give 
you a " taste of his quality," we will select a few " elegant ex- 
tracts," which, as they caught our drowsy ear, between a suc- 
cession of what Eastern matrons call " cat naps," yet linger in 
our memory, and we are the more inclined to quote them, as 
they are not only very peculiar in their style, but withal, a fair 
exponent of a certain class of "hard shell " discourses, which 
have long been popular, and it may be serviceable among the 
"rough and tumble religionists" of the primitive Far West. 
Our first selection runs thus : — 

"Yes, my sin-stricken bretherin and sisters, thar Lord only 
knows how I'm to bring this hyar congregation out of the gall 
of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity ; whar's the sense of my 
wrastlin's in prayar ? whar's the good of my groanin's in sperit ? 
whar's the use in my ridin' down hyar every Lord's day morn- 
in', an' thar corderoy mighty bad at that, to try an' save these 
hyar sinners from the brimstone and fire as is to come ? whar's 
the sense, I say, my bretherin ? for I tell yeou all, air I jest al- 
low that thar Lord knows it too, that thar's some of yeou a settin' 
hyar, that dance out at thar toes in a week, all thar religion that 
thar minister kin hammer inter thar heads, let alone thar hearts, 
with prar-meetin's, and preachin', and singin' of psalms, through 
a 'hull year round. Yes, my brethrein and sisters, it's thar wick- 



94 A HARD SHELL DISCOURSE. 

edness of Christmas week, thai* dancin', and thar foolin', and 
thar driukin' and thar gamblin', that does thar devil's work hyar ; 
an' whar will yeou be, my bretherin ? yes, whar will you be, I 
say, when Satan comes a huntin' his own, or as is remarked in 
thar Scripters, like a roarin' lion a goin' round to see what he 
kin devour ? take kear, my bretherin, take kear." 

And again — in allusion to the prayer-meeting business : — 

" Whar's the good in invitin' yeou inter prayar-meetin's, when 
yeou air always excusin' yeourselves and never thar ? Ef it 
war a corn-huskin', wouldn't yeou be thar ? Ef it war a keard- 
playin' party, wouldn't yeou be thar ? Well, yeou would ; and 
I jest know ef it war a hoss-race, yeou'de be sure to be thar. 
But how is it, when we want yeou to serve thar Lord, and call 
on yeou to "come up an' help us," are yeou thar then? Well, 
yeou ain't, bretherin, an' why ain't yeou ? Why, because thar 
ain't no keards, nor quarter horses, nor fiddles, nor dancin', nor 
foolin' with the gals, thar's the why. An' how was it tother 
night, my bretherin, when deacon Graves and yeonr preacher war 
all that war thar ? Well, it rained, s'pose it did ; air yeou sugar 
or air yeou salt? and wouldn't yeou hev gone, ef yeou had bin 
sugar or salt, ef it war to a frolic ? Well, yeou would. Yeou're 
a travellin' thar broad road, the 'hull on you ; it's dreadful nice 
now ; it ain't steep and hain't got no ruts inter it, but yeou'de 
better be a goin' the narrer one ; yes, ef it war all corderoy and 
hog-wallow, yeou'de do well to be a goin' of it ; for when thar 
folks as travel it air a shoutin' glory, an' halleluya, whar will 
yeou be ? A wailiu' and a 'nashin' of yeour teeth, thar's whar." 

And again : — 

11 When I go inter thar house of a professor of religion, an' 
see thar, thar begammon board, and thar dice-box, or may-be, a 
pack of keards a lyin' on thar table, I allow that thar, in that, 
house, thar's somethin' wrong. .Do yeou see them air things in 
my cabin, my bretherin, or in Deacon Graves's cabin ? Well, 



flh 




A HARD-SHELL PREACHER. 

" Yeou're a travellin' thar broad road the 'hull on you ; it's dreadful nice now ; it 
ain't steep, and hain't got no ruts inter it; but yeou'd better be a goin' the narrerone. 
Yes, ef it war all corderoy and bog wallow, yeou'd do well to In- a goin of it."— Page 94. 



KEARDS AND SUCH LIKE. 95 

yeou don't. But thar's a Bible thar, an' a hymn-book thar, an' 
a sound of prayar, an' a shout of thanksgivin' thar. Well, thar 
is." 

Now it just struck us, after listening to this very un-common 
sense harangue, that there is such a thing as checking up a 
horse, whether quadruped or biped, a little too tight, and further- 
more, one might imagine that in a new country, not to particu- 
larize the State of Missouri, a parson might be pretty well sat- 
isfied if his flock fenced in their consciences, without expecting 
them to "improve" every acre of the land. We wonder what 
the reverend man would have said to our New York hoops and 
habits. 

And so endeth our Sunday in Lexington, Mo. 



96 THE FUNNY SIDE. 



CHAPTER IX. 



OUR AUTHOR ENTERS KANSAS. 



By the way, it might be amfcsing enough to an uninterested 
spectator to see the crowded stages as they come in from the 
South to store their bedevilled cargoes in the " City Hotel," 
until such time as their good fortune — the elements and the 
" agent" — may permit them to proceed. In the meanwhile, was 
there ever such a " merry Bedlam kicked up" by any one set of 
worried mortals before ? Such complaints ; such threats of 
actions and damages ; such yarns of mud knee-deep, which 
almost realize the waggish idea of that " hat," with its submerged 
wearer, and the " good horse under him ;" and then such stories 
of travelling vexations, which our last week's travelling expe- 
rience assures us are but too true ; such grumbling ; such 
growling ; such cursing and sweariug. Did one ever hear 
the like ? But there's some fun in it after all ; indeed there's 
fun in everything, if one has only a disposition to grasp life by 
its smoothest handle — from that introductory joke the cradle to 
that gravest of all grave subjects, the grave; for instance, while we 
sat watching the " current of Cents'' in the smoky sitting-room 
of the " City" to-day, we saw a broad-shouldered, powerfully-built 
Missourian, who must have stood about six feet two in his 
stockings (if he wore any), come striding into the hotel ; and 
our eye singled him out at once as one who had evidently seen 
harder times than the rest of his travel-worn fellow-passengers ; 



droppin' a stage driver. 97 

for his face was battered and bruised, his sinister optic con- 
siderably " the worse for wear," and his nose particularly 
11 mapped out." We watched him closely, as he stepped up to 
the bar and ordered a " whisky straight," with all the air of 
a man who has reached comfort at last, and means to enjoy 
himself, and heard him say, in reply to some bystander's inquiry 
as to " how he had got along :" 

" Got along, thunder ! Waall, stranger, I kin jest tell yeou that 
I've hed an awful time — what yeou mout call all sorts of a 
time — fur I've bin a travellin' thar road whar those dog- 
gaaned Dutchmen live, an' thar bound to crowd yeou ef they 
git a chance ; but jest jump a few on em, an' thar mighty 
apt to let yeou alone ; they didn't trouble me much, I allow — 
well, they didn't ; an' that air ain't all 'nother, stranger ; I've 
whopped a few stage-drivers as I come along — jest a few — 
somewhar about five, I reckon. You see it happened this way. 
I jest made up my mind to lick every one on em that upsot 
thar coach ; fur it's jest liquor and dog-gauned carelessness 
makes em do it anyhow — thar's one on em, I allow, will remem- 
ber me ; he upsot us in a mud-hole on the road back a piece 
betwixt hyar an' Boonsville. I got out when the old mud-cart 
war a rolling over, and I felt bad, I tell yeou some, fur my 
cousin, a young gal that I war a takin kear of, got hurt con- 
siderable; so as I reckoned we war imposed upon, I jest stepped 
up to thar driver : ' Look a hyar, stranger,' says I, ' I'm a thinking 
of droppin' yeou.' 'Yeou'd better not on yeour own account,' says 
he ; ' it's agin' the law to whip a stage-driver in thar State of Mis- 
souri. ' Dog-gaun thar laws of Missouri an' thar stage-drivers, 
too,' says I ; and about that time," added the man who had seen 
"ail sorts of a time," parenthetically (for his drink had been 
compounded and was now in the act of proving itself to be a 
" whisky straight " by taking the shortest road down its new pro- 



98 THE GRUFF VOICE. 

prietor's throat), " and about that time, stranger, I histed him, as 
I should reckon, nigh on to four feet, well I did." 

And here our journalizing at Lexington, for Dec. 16th, must 
give place to extracts from our log, written up at Westport, Mo. 
— which is, however, but half a mile distant from the frontier-line 
of Kansas Territory — on the night of the 11th. 

We had retired to rest at a late hour, on the night previous to 
our departure from Lexington, in the blissful expectation of 
a whole. night's sleep in bed, for we had been informed by the 
stage-agent that the " stage " (for we were promised a real stage 
this time), in which we were going, was not to start until after 
breakfast upon the ensuing day ; imagine then, our astonishment, 
to say nothing of our consternation, at having our first half-hour's 
sleep — for we had sat up writing until after midnight — broken in 
upon by a gruff voice and a tallow candle, which admitted them- 
selves by the door of our apartment at the somewhat unusual hour 
of one o'clock, a.m. We were so very sleepy when they arrived, that 
we shouldn't have been surprised if they had gained an entrance 
by the window. The gruff voice said: "The nigger tried to 
wake you, sir, but you slept so soundly that he couldn't ; you 
must be quick if you are going ; the stage is all ready, and it's 
snowing hard ;" and having delivered itself of this interesting 
communication, the gruff voice took itself out again, leaving the 
tallow candle, by way of substitute, to throw some light upon 
our getting up ; and such a getting up. Did you ever, most 
amiable reader, turn out of a warm bed— in which you had just 
succeeded in generating a sufficient amount of animal heat to 
keep yourself comfortable — at a moment's notice, with a dis- 
agreeable journey before you and worse coming ; with the mer- 
cury, like your spirits, down ; a driving snow-storm without ; 
no fire within, and your miserable self in a night-shirt and — 
nothing else in particular ? If you have, sympathize with us. We 



A SOLEMN FACT. 



did it, though — after an almost superhuman effort ; turned out, 
dressed, woke obliging landlord, paid unobliging Bill, in two senses 
of the word — that being the name of the porter ; and then sallied 
forth, carpet-bag in hand, into the daj^k night and wintry gale, to 
seek the spot where a glare of lanterns and the presence of 
sundry somnambulic black helpers, who looked like spirits of dark- 
ness amid the swiftly-falling snow, marked out the position of the 
stage. And the stage, oh ! would you believe it ? the stage ! 
that solemnly promised real stage, turned out to be but another, 
and, if possible, a still more dilapidated " mud-cart," which 
looked for all the world like the identical vehicle in which we 
had rolled out from St. Charles, that is to say, if that '■ blessed 
institution" can be supposed to have been engaged during the 
period which had elapsed since our last meeting, in a succession 
of disasters from which it didn't appear likely to.recover. But 
in good earnest, and all joking aside, this new imposition was 
what you might call a solemn fact, for it had been rent, and torn, 
and battered, to such a degree, and was, moreover, troubled with 
so many complaints, such as a leaning to one side, and a weakness 
in its wheels, not to dwell upon a tongue, which, though longer, 
was not half as serviceable as an old maid's, that it became a matter 
of pleasing uncertainty whether the mud-cart would, or would 
not, condescend to hang together, until it brought us to Inde- 
pendence. But as the stage was "going, going" and almost 
"gone," by the time we reached it, there was no opportunity for 
expostulation, so we tumbled in and kept our sorrows to ourself. 
And oh ! what a night — the very recollection of it prompts 
us to breathe a prayer that we " never shall look upon its like 
again," for the snow fell, and the wind blew, and howled amid the 
road-side forests, until the increasing storm seemed multiplied into 
the Retreat from Moscow, or Kane's journey to the Pole, as the 
icy particles came pelting in through every nook and cranny — and 
their name was legion — of our shackly old conveyance. It 



100 HOG-CRAZY. 

would not have been easy to frighten us into better behavior by any 
Miltonian description of Pandemonium at that time. Oh ! no — 
we should have said, " How are you ?" to brimstone, and " Glad 
to see you," to fire. We are ^ot even prepared to say, that we should 
not have taken the Old Harry's warmest claw, had he proffered 
it in good faith, or it may be, have gone the " entire animal," 
and, like Doctor Faustus, sold out altogether, for a considera- 
tion, and it would have been in our case, neither silver nor gold, 
but what, if rumor speaks true, might be a much easier bargain 
for Satan, for the thing we wanted most, was to see a right jolly 
blaze. Nay, we would even have accomplished that which our 
greatest general found difficult to perform, by facing "a fire in 
our rear, v and charging the enemy right gallantly to boot, for 
through the dreary hours of that apparently interminable Decem- 
ber night, we suffered, in company with our balance of six inside, 
and one out, quite as much as any one. if we except, perhaps, an 
Esquimaux, ought to endure. And, oh ! how we longed for day- 
light, and wondered, as we skirmished for room with our neighbor's 
half-frozen legs, whether the dawn would ever come, until at length, 
in our despair, we lost confidence in the truthfulness of highly res- 
pectable watches, cursed the maker of the Almanac, and even 
swore, in the bitterness of our heart, that the State of Missouri was 
as far behind the time in her sun-rising as in everything else. 

But after all, we " hadn't ought to " grumble, for the long- 
wished for dawn came stealing in at last, and 9 o'clock, a. m. 
found us thawing out, under the moderating influences of a good 
fire, and what we have elsewhere termed a" bad hog breakfast," 
alias " four bits " worth of " choice selections." And here we 
may remark en passant (though we have already " cut and come 
again" upon this subject), that Missouri seems hog-crazy. The 
roads are blocked up with swine upon their travels, while little 
pigs squeal, and venerable porkers grunt, from corn-field and 
farm-yard, until the very air grows vocal with their music. It 



WESTPORT. 101 

is, moreover, as we have already stated, " killing time," and as 
all swinedom is but pork, the flesh of these hapless beasts is served 
up to the yet more unfortunate traveller, until his soul sickens 
over his meat, and he is almost ready to declare himself a Jew, if he 
could thereby obtain a reasonable excuse for rejecting those too 
— too unctuous fragments, which are the never-failing accompani- 
ment of every road-side meal. But adieu — a long adieu, we 
trust, to the hogs, for we have matters of greater moment to 
chronicle. 

Westport, Monday, December Vlth. — We have passed Inde- 
pendence, which we had not seen, since we rode up to its brick 
tavern at two o'clock of an August morning, some eight years ago: 
but are now, as the date indicates, at Westport, a flourishing 
town, supported for the most part by the Indian and Santa Fe 
trade, and situated — oh ! happy thought to us — upon the very 
verge of the Kansas frontier. We are at last within striking 
distance of our ultimate object ; for the residence of His Excel- 
lency, Governor Shannon, is, or has been, at the Shawnee Indian 
Mission, or Manual Labor School, distant some two and a-half 
miles from this place, where we had hoped to have talked over 
the " Kansas War n with the Governor, ere this, had not 
His Excellency been temporarily absent at Lecompton, a new- 
born Kansas city, which looks uncommonly well upon paper, and 
which we hope to observe for ourself ere we be a fortnight older. 
The Governor, as we understand, is now building at Lecompton, 
with the view of preparing a residence for his family, who are at 
present residing in the more tranquil State of Ohio. 

The latest bit of hear-say intelligence, iu regard to the Kansas 
difficulties, comes to us to-day, in the shape of a statement, made 
by the youthful editor of a Pro-Slavery journal (that is just 
about to be). He says, that all parties are dissatisfied with 
Shannon, for the Governor would neither let the Missourians 
"wipe out" the Abolitionists on the one hand, nor would he 



102 A GENEROUS OFFER. 

permit the citizens of Lawrence to resist Sheriff Jones, and set 
the Territorial laws at defiance upon the other, or, as we translate 
it, he committed the unpardonable error of endeavoring- to pre- 
serve peace on both sides — about as difficult a task to accomplish, 
we fancy, in the bear-garden state of things then existing at 
Lawrence, as to attempt an interference between man and wife, 
from which folly from which may our good angel deliver us. 

December lSlh. — Though we still date from Westport, we may 
be congratulated, for we have not only seen, but entered the 
" promised land." Yes, it is even so, for our host, " old man 
Harris," as he is familiarly styled, evidently imagines, thanks 
to an old Army Commission of ours, and to something which 
he seems to have picked up in relation to our having come out special, 
that we are at the very least, a bearer of dispatches, or, per- 
chance, a Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Shannon, with 
documents from Washington to the Governor, containing full 
powers to hang, draw, and quarter, every Abolitionist in the Terri- 
tory; so he opened his heart toward us, and although, apparently 
not given to generous deeds, has offered us the loan of his private 
and particular mule, a clumsy, ill-made beast, with no amiability 
of character, to convey us to Shawnee Mission (Governor 
Shannon's residence), where, though his Excellency was absent, 
as we have already stated, at Lecompton, we could obtain ample 
information in regard to the probable duration of his stay, from the 
employees of the Manual Labor School. We, moreover, desired 
to carry our " news hunt," into the Indian range, and post our- 
self up in relation to the management, working, and apparent 
results of the Indian educational system, as pursued in these 
Missions, or labor schools, of which this Shawnee establishment 
is most probably a favorable exponent. 

With those objects in view, we thought proper to accept the 
offer of our good-natured landlord, who forthwith ordered one 
of "his niggers" to parade the animal, who proved, as we have 



WE ENTER KANSAS. 103 

already hinted, upon a more familiar acquaintance, to be an ob- 
stinate, not to say sulky beast, with prodigious ears, and a 
short scraggy tail. We mounted gallantly, however, with a big 
stick by way of " persuader," for it's no use trying " moral sua- 
sion" with a mule, "Martin, on Animals," to the contrary, not- 
withstanding. 

Upon reaching the " State line," we felt, as somebody says, 
u the influence of the scene." So we reined in our long-eared 
steed, and considered the fearful responsibility which we were 
about to incur. We might be treated to a coat of tar and 
feathers ; we might be planted in the miry soil, a rich vegetable 
mould, of the Kansas Bear Garden, in which case, we should 
undoubtedly, have been carried " through a course of very re- 
markable sprouts." But we " didn't kear f we summoned up our 
resolution, knit our brow, hit the mule a thundering lick upon 
the ribs, murmured " let her rip," and then, like Mr. Ciesar of 
old, plunged in, accoutered as we were, to Kansas and a mud- 
hole. The mule shy'd ; we regret it, for it upset our dignity 
considerably ; we have since, upon mature deliberation, been in- 
duced to suppose, that the beast being raised in Missouri, was a 
Pro-Slavery mule, which would very naturally account for her 
unwillingness to enter Kansas. 

There was, we are compelled to admit, no particular sensation 
as " Our War Correspondent " crossed the line. No convulsions, 
no earthquake ; the trees stood firm, ditto the log-cabins ; the 
mud was as deep, the winter wind just as piercing • in fact, the 
only things which appeared to be interested in our entrance were 
a two-year-old hog (that omnipresent representative of the 
largest commercial interests of Missouri), who poked his inquis- 
itive snout through a clump of wayside bushes, as if to say, 
" What new fool comes now ?" and a venerable old rooster, who 
welcomed us with a crow, which we were fain to interpret into 
an omen of good luck to come. May the dmnites that a shape 



104 WHIPPED EITHER WAY. 

our ends" grant it, for this going to Kansas in troublous times, 
to get the war news, is "skeary business." In sober earnest 
we begin to feel as the old Connecticut deacon did when his horse 
ran away down hill ; "he trusted in Providence until the breech- 
ing broke, and after that didn't place any particular dependence 
on anything." May not "the breeching" be almost broken 
with us ? Who knows ? 'Tis a fearful thing to contemplate ! 
Was ever newspaper correspondent in such a fix ? Stop, let's 
reconnoitre our position. If we "crack up" the Pro-Slavery 
men, the Free Soilers will make " no bones " of us in Lawrence. 
If we abuse the Border Ruffians, we shall (even without the stag- 
ing), never escape alive from the State of Missouri, and if we 
stride the fence, and don't do either, we shall be most particu- 
larly blessed by both parties, and for aught we know to the con- 
trary, by the New York Herald into the bargain. Well, be 
it so ; if we must succumb, we must, but as we live by hog-meat 
and bad coffee, we will kick vigorously to the last. 




" OUK COBJRESPOHDKXT " ENTEKS KANSAS. 

" But we didn't kefir— we summoned up our resolution— knit our brow— hit the 
mule a thundering lick upon the ribs, and then, like Mr. Ciesar of old, plunged in, accou- 
tered as we were, to Kansas and a mud hole." — Pagu 105. 



SfASSA JOHNSON. 105 



CHAPTER X 

THE SHAWNEE MANUAL-LABOR SCHOOL. 

And now, to return, or rather to go ahead, we pressed on, 
and after some two miles and a half of hard trotting travel, 
with something to boot from taking the wrong road, " hove in 
sight," as the sailors say, of the Shawnee Methodist Mission, 
consisting of three long two-story brick buildings, with sundry 
cabins and out-houses, which, while they had rather a dilapi- 
dated appearance, looked as if they might be Western comfort- 
able inside. 

Upon reaching the board fence which enclosed a sort of flower- 
garden, just in front of the Superintendent's dwelling, we rode 
up to a tying-post, and having reined in our mule, who was, be 
cause he liked it, very willing to stop, we dismounted, hitched 
Long-ears so securely that he couldn't very conveniently run 
away, and then proceeded to arouse the inmates of the " most 
responsible looking " house, but as our knocking called forth no 
reply, save the growling of several ill-looking curs of low degree, 
who kept up a dismal racket in our rear, we made bold to walk 
in, the more so as the front door stood invitingly open ; but we 
traversed several rooms, got out of the back door, and finally 
wandered into the kitchen ere we lighted upon anything human, 
which, however, turned up at last, in the shape of a voluble old 
darky, with a bullet head, and elongated heels, who informed us 
that " Massa Johnson" (the Superintendent of the Mission), 
was not at home, and would not be back until night. 

5* 



106 A DUBERSOME DARKEY. 

"But who is?" 

" Well, dars de man dat takes care ob de place wheu Massa 
Johnson's gwyne away." 

" Can't you find him, and let him know that a gentleman 
would like to speak with him ?" 

" Well, dis hyar niggar's mighty busy just now, massa, s'pose 
I mout find him, though — 'spect I might try, but I'm duber- 
some about it." 

As this uncertainty was removed by a quarter, " the man who 
took kear ob de place " was found, and speedily made his appear- 
ance. Upon transferring our inquiries to him, we learned that 
Governor Shannon was, as we had previously understood, at Le- 
compton, some fifty miles distant from Westport, whither he had 
gone to buy up some claims ; our informant added that the gov- 
ernor's son who is also his private secretary, and the Secretary 
of State, Mr. Woodson, were with him, but that the whole party 
were expected back in the course of a few days. After commu- 
nicating these facts, our new acquaintance, who seemed a plain 
well-meaning sort of person, and a strong Pro-Slavery man into 
the bargain, invited us into a sort of sitting-room, where we 
will venture to say that we asked him as many questions in five 
minutes' time, as if hehad been undergoing a cross-examination by 
a Philadelphia lawyer (though for that matter, we are free to 
confess that we don't exactly see why a legal man, because he 
comes from the Quaker City, should be any keener than his bre- 
thren of the long robe, elsewhere), but be this as it may, here fol- 
lows an abridgment of the information elicited by our inquiries. 

The Shawnee Manual Labor School has been established for 
nearly twenty years ; at first, under the fostering care of the 
Board of Missions for the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church, 
in connection with the patronage of the general government. 
Latterly, however, as the institution grew better able to support 
itself, or it may be, as Uncle Sam became more liberal, that 



THE MISSION FARM. 10? 

amiable old gentleman has stood sole paymaster ; at present, 
under the treaty stipulations with the Shawnee Indians, the 
school receives the interest of one hundred thousand dollars, at 
five per cent, per annum, amounting, of course, to five thousand 
dollars ; that being the sum appropriated for educational pur- 
poses in the Shawnee Nation. To this income, may be added 
the earnings of the very large farm attached to the mission, 
which, at this time, consists of fifteen hundred acres of fenced 
land, of which, from six to seven hundred acres are under culti- 
vation. The soil being a rich loam, from twelve to fifteen inches 
in depth. During the past year they have raised upon this 
farm, one hundred and forty acres of corn, sixty acres of which 
grew eighty bushels of grain to the acre (not bad that, even in 
Kansas), and one hundred acres of oats, which yielded from 
thirty to forty bushels per acre. There is, also, a large vegeta- 
ble garden, and they have two hundred and fifty head of cattle, 
who, so far as the females are concerned, are very like the Dutch- 
man's cow of notable memory, which " gave very goot milk." 

The Institution is under the direction of a general superinten- 
dent, a school superintendent, and his assistant (to whom we are 
indebted for interesting information), and a farmer who oversees 
and directs its agricultural operations. There is, also, a superin- 
tendent of the boarding-house, who was our informant in regard 
to many matters connected with his own department, as well as 
in relation to the history (for he is an old settler) of the mission. 

The buildings, as we have before stated, consist of thin, long, 
two-story brick houses, not very substantially built, and from pre- 
sent appearances, considerably in need of repair. As a summer 
residence they might be moderately comfortable, but as a winter 
one, and particularly in severe weather, they are, owing, I should 
say, to the shiftless way in which things appear to be managed, 
a most undesirable home. The arrangement too, for persons 
lodging there, are bad, as the boarding-house proper is some fifty 



108 THE SHAWNEE RESERVE. 

yards distant i'rotn the dining-room or rather kitchen, in which 
the inmates take their meals. The children's school-house and 
dormitories are open to the same criticism, being about twice 
that distance from the main building. 

This mission is located upon the " Shawnee Reserve," a tract 
of land some twenty-four miles in width, by thirty long, which is 
secured to the nation by their final treaty with the United 
States government. This treaty gives two hundred acres, as 
soon as its survey is fully completed, which is expected to be 
the case by the 1st of July next, to each Shawnee Indian, 
whether man, woman, or child. These tracts are to be selected 
by the parties concerned, as nearly as possible to the vicinity of 
the individual's present residence in the Shawnee Indian Terri- 
tory. The choice to be made and declared within sixty days, 
or, as other authorities say, ninety, from the conclusion of the 
government surveys. Thirty thousand acres are to be reserved 
for non-resident Shawnees, who may come in to claim their share. 
The remnant of this (once powerful) tribe, now resident upon 
the Reserve, amounts, all told, to about seven hundred and fifty 
souls. The remainder of the " Shawnee Reserve " will then, if 
we understand the matter rightly, be thrown into the market to 
become subject to locations at the usual government price 
($1,25 per acre). In view of these facts, we have been inform- 
ed that a secret society has been organized in Missouri, or 
rather in certain border counties of that State, for the purpose 
of settling the whole of this tract, as soon as it is made liable 
to entry, with hona fide Pro-Slavery settlers. This society, we 
learn, numbers nearly eight hundred men, who are pledged to 
each other to do all in their power to make Kansas a slave 
State, and to support the peculiar institutions of the South. We 
hear that they have already made very favorable arrangements 
with the Shawnees, as to the entry of these lands. This club 
may be regarded as an humble imitation, which will, however, 



RED-SKINS AT SCHOOL. 109 

in all probability, accomplish quite as much as its progenitor, 
the Massachusetts Aid Society. 

The number of children at present under instruction in the 
Manual Labor School is about forty of both sexes ; among 
these are some half-a-dozen Wyandots and one Arapahoe. 
Some of these children are orphans, placed here by their guar- 
dians, others have parents residing upon the Reserve. But few 
of these Indians are full-blooded, yet the physical peculiarities 
of their race seem strongly marked in each ; the dark, restless 
eye, the prominent cheek-bone, the straight, coarse black hair, 
and pigeon-toed gait being visible in all. 

These children pay seventy-five dollars per annum each, to the 
superintendent, as a receipt in full for board, washing, and tui- 
tion. Their instructor assures us that they will compare favor- 
ably, in mental capacity, with the same number of ordinary, 
every-day, non-precocious children at the North. They speak, 
as a general thing, no language but their own upon entering the 
school ; the first care of their instructor is, therefore, to teach 
them English ; this they soon learn to speak well, though a 
slight, yet not unpleasant accent seems in almost every case to 
betray their foreign birth. As children, they are playful out of 
doors, romping with each other in very un-Indian-like style, 
while in school they appear to be quite as mischievous as the 
offspring of the pale face. If they misbehave, the system of 
discipline is nearly the same as that formerly in vogue in New 
England. They do not, however, care much for any species of 
punishment, save that of the rod, a peculiarity which is appreci- 
ated by their teacher, who is a firm believer in that portion of the 
wisdom of Solomon, which says, " spare the rod and spoil the 
child." The branches taught are those necessary to a good Eng- 
lish common-school education. 

Their daily routine of life is as follows — at five, a.m., they 
are awakened by the ringing of a bell, when, if it be summer, 



HO COPPER COLORED YOUNGSTERS. 

they do light work about the farm until seveu o'clock, when 
they breakfast, a horn being blown by way of signal before each 
meal, which gives them ample time for preparation (if in the win- 
ter-time, their morning work, before eating, is confined to the pre- 
paration of fuel, milking the cows, some thirty or forty in all, and 
feeding the stock). At nine, the school-bell summons them to 
their studies, which are kept up, with a short interval for recess, 
until twelve, m. They dine between twelve and one o'clock, 
and then resume their mental pursuits until four. Their tea- 
hour is six, p.m., and their evenings are spent in the prepara- 
tion of lessons for the ensuing day until eight o'clock ; they are 
then allowed to indulge themselves in in-door recreation, until 
half-past eight sends them to their dormitories for the night. 
The only religious services which are held during the week are 
the reading of a chapter in the Bible, followed by prayer, just 
previous to the morning and evening meals. Saturday " fore- 
noon " is devoted to work, the afternoon is a holiday, and the 
evening is spent in the bath-room in " cleaning up for Sunday." 
The Sabbath is devoted to devotional services. 

As regards general character and temperament, the Indian 
pupils are accounted as generally docile, teachable, and good- 
natured. When sick, they are stupid and silent, have much fear, 
are easily depressed, and sink more rapidly, when prostrated by dis- 
ease, than the white. They quarrel but little among themselves ; 
in their juvenile attachments they appear to have a greater 
" affinity " for members of their own tribe, and would, we are 
told, resent an insult more quickly if coming from a child belong- 
ing to another. Indolence is their greatest and most beset- 
ting sin. 

In the little Arapahoe we felt particularly interested, as he is 
a full-blooded Indian, who came to the Institution as wild as a 
hawk, when he could speak but a very few words of English, 
and even these had been learned upon his way thither from a 



THE LITTLE ARAPAHOE. Ill 

white man, who had accompanied him from the hunting-grounds 
of his tribe. The date of this juvenile's reception into the school, 
was the 27th of October, 1855, and in three days after his 
admission, he knew his letters perfectly — his teacher tells us that 
he now spells readily in words of one syllable. 

As regards their table — for we had not time to inspect the 
dormitories, we should say that, so far as quantity is concerned, 
the children fared remarkably well ; though the cookery, to our 
taste, was little better than an illustration of that oft-quoted 
proverb, which talks of Heaven's sending the raw material, and 
Satan's providing those who dress it. Of this we were well 
able to judge, as we had dined at the board of these " children 
of the Red-men," or, to speak more correctly, at one just like it, 
which is common to the superintendent and his family, as also 
to visitors, and the other officers and employees of the Institution. 
All things considered, however, these little aborigines may regard 
themselves as being extremely fortunate ; for we could not but 
contrast their living favorably with our own early recollections 
of the "fashionable boarding school starvation system," which 
is but too frequently tolerated at the East. 

The superintendent of the boarding-house informs us that 
workshops were formerly attached to the Mission, where the 
pupils, in addition to their daily routine of studies, learned vari- 
ous trades. These, however, have of late years been discon- 
tinued, as it was thought better for the intellectual advance- 
ment of the children, that their minds should not be too much 
diverted from their books. They are not, for a similar reason, 
allowed to labor in the field or do any other than light work upon 
the farm. (It occurs to us that there might be another object in 
this prohibition, which is, to prevent a dishonest or interested 
superintendent from following the example of that amiable peda- 
gogue, Wackford Squeers, who pursued the very practical system 
at his delightful academy for young gentlemen at Dotheboy's 



1 

112 AMALGAMATION. 

Hall, where youth M were " boarded, washed, furnished witli 
pocket-money, &c. of teaching a boy a thing-, and then fixing 
it upon his memory by letting him go out and do it.) 

These very general facts, in relation to Shawnee Mission and 
its Manual Labor School, are gathered in part from our own 
observation, for with true Yankee curiosity we visited, in our 
pursuit of facts, the school-room, where we saw the Indian 
children at their desks, and heard them recite, and we can 
assure the reader, that (physical peculiarities excepted), they 
seem, to our eyes, to differ but little from any " district school n 
interior, which educates the juveniles of some New England 
village, amid the green valleys of Connecticut, or the rocky hills 
of the old " Bay State." For we saw one youngster munching 
an apple, with an occasional side-look at the master and his rod, 
another doing anything but a sum, unless the sum had a nose 
and a mouth, with a crest of eagle's feathers upon its head, 
while a third tried hard to post up her neighbor, a very stupid- 
looking Shawnee, as to the correct reading of some forgotten 
arithmetical rule, while the urchin in question stood scratching 
his head, and looking woefully perplexed, as he tried in vain to 
catch the muttered information in time to answer promptly. 

Finally, then, as touching the interior economy of the Shawnee 
Mission, this school is said to have done a vast amount of good 
among the Indians, for whose benefit it has been instituted. 
We are informed by those interested in the establishment, that 
a number of the female pupils who have grown up and received 
their entire education at the Mission (for there are several of 
them), have, on graduating, married well. Some of them to 
white men, and in their after lives done credit to its training ; 
apropos to this, we understand that a relative of the present 
superintendent (Mr. Johnson), was united in matrimonial bonds 
with one of these fair descendants of the very oldest inhabi- 
tants, not many months ago. 



SHAWNEE BELLES. 113 

And here we may remark, that so far as our own taste in such 
matters goes, although some of the Shawnee girls, now members 
of the school, are called pretty, we have as yet been unable to 
discover this alleged beauty in these copper-colored damsels. 
Their manner of walking, for instance ; is ridiculous, indeed it 
was with the greatest difficulty that we refrained from laughing 
outright, as we saw them file out (on a signal rap from their 
teacher's fork), at the dining-room door, for the only thing 
which we can think of as approximating to their peculiar gait, 
might, perhaps, be a lame, and very short-legged duck, if you 
can suppose so common sense a bird to be attempting an imita- 
tion of the last fashionable " teter " for young ladies. Add to 
this, that they stoop, have round shoulders, no figure at all, 
and " too much color " in their faces, and then if you be a 
connoisseur, sing their praises, if you please — a la Longfellow's 
" Hiawatha." 



114 DRUNK-IN-A-BLANKET. 



CHAPTER XL 



RED-SKINS AND INDIAN YARNS. 



The people of the Shawnee Nation, particularly those who 
have been educated at the Mission, are said to be industrious, 
hard-working farmers ; and as a general thing, peaceable, law- 
abiding citizens. As a practical commentary upon which, it is 
pretty generally admitted, that some nine or ten of their " war- 
riors " tendered their valuable services as " fighting men" to the 
good people of Lawrence, during the late difficulties ; and 
on dit that a portion of the Delawares, with a number of the 
Sacs and Foxes, followed this very " law-abiding w example. As 
to the "Delaware offering," they are said to have been such enthu- 
siastic Free State sympathizers, that a few of them insisted upon 
going to Lawrence, where they remained about town " talking 
big, and drinking whisky," so as to be on hand if Pro-Slavery 
and Free Soil should come to loggerheads, It is, however, but 
justice to the people of Lawrence to add, that they (in common 
with the Pro-Slavery party, to whom other Indians offered their 
cooperation), declined to accept the assistance of these volun- 
teer aids. 

In other matters, as regards their character and moral pro- 
clivities, we can but judge from a very superficial observation of 
such " specimens" as chance threw in our way, and these usually 
turned up in the shape of somctking-drwnk-in-a-blanket, with a 
very loud voice, and a very guttural notion of using it. The 



INDIAN ECCENTRICITIES. 115 

missionaries speak favorably of them, and we are not disposed 
to gainsay either the honesty of these gentlemen, or their supe- 
rior opportunities for becoming acquainted with the fact ; but 
we do declare that if an inquirer should say to us, " Mr. Corres- 
pondent, what do you think of the proclivities of the Shawnee 
Nation V 7 we should answer candidly : " Very bad." For if 
medical men speak the truth, a great proportion of the Indian 
women in Kansas, not only want chastity, but are afflicted with 
diseases, so loathsome, that modern prudery forbids that we 
should even give them a name. One physician, indeed, remarked 
to us, that he regarded a visit which a party of the Caws had 
recently paid his town, a very small one, by the way, as being 
quite a handsome sum in his pocket ; " For," said he, " they 
camped near us, stayed two months, and increased my practice 
by nearly four hundred dollars." And if merchants are to be 
credited, a respectable pickpocket, with a good city reputation, 
should bear a very fair character among an assemblage of these 
copper-colored braves. It is reported, for instance, that a Caw 
will steal the blanket off your back, while you are saying how- 
do-ye-do, to him ; and unless Dame Rumor do some of the Sacs 
and Foxes foul injustice, your eye-teeth would not be safe in your 
head, should any of these amiable gentlemen take a fancy to 
them. Apropos to these little thievish traits of Indian character, 
a gentleman from Lecompton tells us that it is no uncommon 
thing among " the traders," for a red-skinned customer to enter 
a store with plenty of money in his pocket, make his purchases, 
and then turn coolly round and inform the individual from whom 
he has bought, that 

" Me no money now — bimeby kill deer — squaw dress skin — 
sell 'em — then Ingin plenty money — then come pay." 

"Well, but what does the trader do then— will he wait?" 
queried we. 

" Do !" said my informant, " why, he upsets him, pulls off his 



116 MAJOR RAMROD'S ADVENTURE. 

blanket, takes away his money, helps himself to his due, and 
then lets Mr. Indian walk with the balance, if there be any in 
his favor." 

Since we are upon this very original subject, we may as well 
relieve ourself of a frontier yarn or two which we have picked 
up among the Indian agents. The first of these was related to 
us by a friend whom we shall call Major Ramrod, for want of a 
less military sobriquet, who used to tell the story as a veritable 
extract from his own personal experiences, while acting as the 
Government Indian Agent for a certain tribe who (as we wish 
to preserve his incognito), shall be nameless. It runs thus : 

" Some two years ago, in the course of an official tour, I had 
occasion to visit, for the first time, a remote portion of the tribe, 
over whose interests I held jurisdiction. I had ridden hard, but 
the way was long, and it was not until the close of a warm, 
sultry, August day that I approached the creek, or, as they call 
it in the Territory, river, on which the Indians with whom I 
desired to confer were encamped. Upon trotting up, however, 
to their lodges, or temporary shelters, which had been erected 
upon the edge of the prairie, and outside the timber of the ' river 
bottom,' I found no one to answer my call ; for though the 
fires were lighted, and a piece or two of deer-meat basting over 
the coals, their camp seemed deserted, save by two or three 
mangy, ill-favored curs, who yelped spitefully, but at a most 
respectful distance, as I rode in. Judging, however, from these 
signs of recent occupation, that those whom I sought must be 
somewhere in the immediate vicinity, I dismounted, and having 
hobbled my mule, turned her loose to graze, while I sat down to 
await the return of the Indians. Of this, however, I soon wearied, 
for as you know, solitude doesn't agree with me, nor is Robinson 
Crusoe-ism my forte, so it was not long ere I turned my back upon 
the lodges, and strolled leisurely towards the heavy timber which 
marked the location of the stream, through which, after some 



BEAUTY UNADORNED. lit 

clambering* over fallen logs, o,nd an occasional botheration from 
a slew, I finally made my way, and was already in sight of its 
wood-embowered waters, wlien, mingled with the rippling of the 
swiftly-flowing tide, I fancied that I heard a distant shout, and 
as I paused to listen, it was repeated with an unction which made 
the presence of some near neighbors no longer a matter for ques- 
tion ; so following the direction of the sound, as I was guided 
by its reiteration, I passed on, until a sudden bend in the river 
brought me full in view of about as primitive a bathing-party as 
had ever been gotten up since 

"The good old days of Adam and of Eve," 

Yes, there they were, papoose, and squaw, and warrior bold, all 
busily engaged, though up to their necks in the stream, in kicking 
up a pow-wow, that reminded me strongly of some fashionable 
beach-scenes, which I have witnessed, during ' the season,' at 
Newport and Cape May. 

" But to my tale — it required but a glance at these copper-color- 
ed bathers, to assure me that the whole party was in that very un- 
usual condition which is most decently expressed by intimating 
that they were in a ' state of nature,' and furthermore, that 
the softer sex was largely represented, and being — don't laugh — 
quite a modest man, at least in those days, I was for retreating 
with all convenient speed, until these fair belles of the wilder- 
ness could find time to make a more elaborate toilet ; but as I 
turned, like Joseph of old, to shame Satan and fly, my ears were 
saluted with a sound of hi ! hi ! coupled with some unpronoun- 
cable gutturals, which signified, as I afterwards learned, " Brother, 
who are you ?" This degree of relationship, however, was in- 
stantly changed, upon their discovering who I was, into a cry 
of " How do you do, father ?" that being the title (our friend 
was about two and thirty years of age), by which the Indian is 
accustomed to address the agent of his tribe. But the courte- 



118 OUTRAGED DIFFIDENCE. 

sies, alas ! were not destined to terminate here ; no, they soon 
let me understand that they would give me a still warmer wel- 
come, and verily, if a popular agent was ever received with all 
the honors by his charge, I certainly was that day. For, ima- 
gine my feelings, my outraged diffidence, perhaps (quit your 
laughing now) I should rather say, when I tell you that the 
redskins, one and all, matrons, wives, and maidens included — the 
latter, between you and me, being foremost in the race — scram- 
bled out of the creek, and then, all unaccoutered as they were, 
with their huge mouths full of guttural welcomes, and not a rag 
upon their sun-tanned backs, they rushed into my arms and al- 
most smothered me with a succession of embraces which left me 
dripping like a newly-washed Newfoundland dog, and as for 
the Eve-like squaws — but I draw a veil over my sensations — 
come, let's step into the grocery and take something to driuk." 

Having imbibed, the Major next proceeded to enlighten us as 
to his " adventures " upon returning to the Indian camp, with a 
distinct understanding, however, that the female barbarians had 
gotten their rigging on in the meanwhile, or we should have 
most respectfully declined to jot down another of our friend 
Ramrod's " little incidents." 

" I presume that you know something of Indian cleanliness ; 
if you don't, and should ever think of returning to the Rocky 
Mountains, I should advise you to keep clear of their cookery, 
at least until it is upon the board, and even then, if you will 
take 'pot luck' with them, don't scrutinize the platters, and 
above all, use your own table tools, come what may." 

We intimated to the Major that we had once dined with a 
Eutaw chief, off a "notch potch" of stewed grass-hoppers and 
lizard's tails ; and Ramrod went on, 

11 Well, I reckon then, as you have travelled some, that I may 
run the risk of spoiling your supper by relating the first of a 
number of annoyances which bedevilled me during my stay in 



HARD TO SWALLOW. 119 

what I shall name, for convenience sake, the Bathing Indians' 
camp ; for you must know that, upon my return to their lodges, 
I found myself somewhat fatigued from the excess of hospitality 
which I had so recently undergone, and being thirsty withal, I 
begged one of the squaws to give me a drink of water — " 

(Here we looked up, and having closed our right eye, threw 
our head a little to that side, gave a long whistle, and at the 
same time pointed significantly with our thumb over the left 
shoulder.) 

"Well, can't you wait until I have finished the sentence?" 
cried Ramrod, half peevishly, in answer to this pantomimic inter- 
ruption ; " come, don't be poking fun at a man until he gets 
through ; I didn't say that I intended to take it raw ; but you've 
put me out ; let me see, where was I ? Oh, now I recollect, I had 
just asked the squaw, a good-looking half-breed by the way, to 
get me some cold water. So, being an obliging girl, she half filled 
a small tin pail with the element and placed it beside the buffalo- 
robe on which I was placidly reclining. I had taken up this 
water-holder and was just in the act of qualifying it with a mod- 
icum of prime old rye whisky from my ' private tickler,' when it 
struck me that the tin pail might be a great deal cleaner ; so I 
made bold to suggest an amendment in this respect, to the cop- 
per-colored damsel, who forthwith emptied the pail and was 
wiping it out with a wisp of freshly-gathered prairie-grass, which 
she had pulled for the purpose, when an old chief, who had 
hitherto sat quietly by my side, where he had been, to all ap- 
pearances, completely absorbed in the enjoyment of the pipe-full 
of tobacco with which I had supplied him, sprang suddenly to 
his feet, and interrupted the operation by snatching the utensil 
out of her hand, at the same time telling the woman, in their 
language, that she must be a fool, that white folks were particu- 
lar and liked everything very clean, but that if she watched him, 
she would know how to clean a drinking vessel another time, in 



120 DUCKING A BABY. 

a manner which would satisfy even the most fastidious pale face. 
So suiting the action to the word, while the squaw looked on in 
mute admiration, and I, if the truth be told, in considerable 
mental distress, he seized the tin pail with one hand, while with 
the other he cast loose his breech-clout, and then, oh, horror of 
horrors ! proceeded to polish most faithfully, the inside of the 
vessel with this somewhat exceptionable garment. Is it ne- 
cessary for me to add that I went supperless to bed that night ? 
And now, stranger, wonH you take another drink ?" 

We will add a paragraph here, which might very properly be 
headed, "A real blessing to mothers and nurses," or an infallible 
receipt to stop babies from crying whether or no, and then we 
shall say farewell to Mr. Ingin, at least for the present. 

We had noticed that Indian babies didn't cry ; we had seen 
these cunning-looking, hairless, black-eyed, dear darling little 
angels (we quote from enthusiastic young unmarried ladies now), 
as they hung in a most neck-breaking fashion from their mothers' 
backs, with their heads poked out of the Mackinaw blanket-folds 
(in which the little innocents were enveloped to an extent which 
threatened their speedy suffocation), so as to admit of their peep- 
ing over the maternal left shoulder ; but still no cry, no whim- 
per — no, not even with a cholic to provoke it — gave notice that 
little How-wow-bob-er-ry was in pain. " But why," methinks 
we hear the inquisitive reader exclaim, " was this ? Was the 
long-named cherub dumb ? Had the pretty copper- colored pet 
been tongue-tied from the hour of its birth ?" Oh, no, nothing 
of the sort ; it had been better trained than the child of the 
pale face, that's all ; for the wigwam is a stern school, and the 
Indian a most impartial teacher ; and little How-wow-what-do- 
you-call-him, though not yet twelve moons old, knows better 
than to squall, for his infant memory still retains the recollection 
of a time when his first unlucky squall was greeted by a duck- 
ing in the nearest creek, administered by his papa, that cele- 



CRYING BABIES. 121 

brated warrior, Wont-stand-any-such-humbug ; and his second 
by ditto repeated, until he had learnt to reason from his former 
aquatic experiences that the same thing might happen again. 
So the " recollections of the past," all sombre though they be, 
warn him to " keep a stiff upper lip/' even though he don't 
" feel jolly." Erom " all of which and singular " you may per- 
ceive that as " a burnt child" is said to " dread the fire" upon 
this side of the Mississippi, so a ducked one may fear the water 
upon the other. And, finally, under this head, we would, with 
all due deference, beg leave to recommend this system of immer- 
sion to indulgent mammas in general ; for they may rest assured 
that there is nothing like Hydropathy for converting a " squall- 
ing brat " into " a treasure of a baby." 

And upon re-reading what we have just written, we are con- 
vinced that the Temperance people, at least, should think well 
of us ; for, have we not given the reader three most undoubted 
cold water yarns, all duly strung together like a flock of wild 
geese (let us hope that the simile ends there), and what is 
more to the purpose, a moral to each — if one could only hunt 
it out ? 

So much for our first visit to the Shawnee Manual Labor 
School and its inhabitants. 



122 KIT CARSON. 



CHAPTER XII. 



NEWS-HUNTING IN WESTPORT. 



We got back to our Westport " inn " rather inexpressibly 
mule sore, au hour by sun, and straightway " dropped round 
town" into various shops (or, as we Americans call them, 
''stores "), and so forth, with our ears wide open and our note- 
book at hand ; nor was our news-hunt in Westport less suc- 
cessful than that in which we had been engaged at the Mission ; 
for we " bagged " the following from an old frontiersman, who 
had seen our friend Kit Carson — the Kit — in October last ; and 
it may interest those who have read of his wild adventures "by 
flood and field," to know that Kit Carson of the Rocky Moun- 
tains — the hero of many a border-fight and romantic expedi- 
tion — has at length " settled down for good." Yes it is even 
so ; for our Nimrod of the West has laid aside the rifle and 
bowie-knife to take up the yard-stick and scales ; and now, 
instead of sending hostile Indians to their long account, he is 
sending long accounts to them. 'Tis true he charges still, and we 
doubt not as freely as before ; but these attacks are only on his 
customers ; and if he " posts a man," he does it in the ledger. 
But a truce to punning — for we hate a pun — the more so as 
it is rumored that those who perpetrate such things " would 
even steal a sheep ;" and as we have little desire to be charged 
with mutton-thieving, we will tell you in so many words, that 
Kit Carson keeps a store, or, as they say out West, " is engaged 



AUBREY. 123 

in selling goods " in the city of San Fernando del Taos, New- 
Mexico, where, as our informant states, Carson has entered into 
partnership with a Mr. Maxwell, a gentleman who, if we remem- 
ber rightly, was himself an " old Mountain man." The style 
of the firm is Carson & Maxwell. We were, moreover, pleased 
to learn that Kit has been restored to his office of Indian 
agent, from which he was for a time suspended by order of 
the Governor of New Mexico. From all that we could gather 
in relation to the difficulty which led to his suspension, we 
understood that Carson had directed some sheep belonging to 
the Mexicans to be killed for the use of the Indians — under 
what circumstances we were unable to discover. This drew 
forth a complaint from the Mexicans to the governor, who 
called Carson to account ; and finally got into a difficulty with 
the old mountaineer, in which the latter played a very inde- 
pendent part. The whole affair was then referred to the proper 
authorities at Washington, and there settled (as we should 
judge from the result), in the pioneer's favor. Kit talked of 
coming to " the States " this fall, but has deferred it until ano- 
ther year. 

From Carson the conversation very naturally turned to poor 
Aubrey, who, as the reader doubtless knows, was recently killed 
in New Mexico, where he fell, after braving death in every form, 
by the hand of an American, and in a private quarrel. 

It is not generally known that Aubrey rode, in the fall of 
1848, from Santa Fe, N. M., to Independence, Mo., a distance 
of 115 miles in five consecutive days, and sixteen hours. But 
in his anxiety to perform a feat which no man has yet equalled, and 
in all human probability never will, he nearly sacrificed his life to 
his ambition, for on arriving at his journey's end, he was literally 
lifted from his blood-stained saddle. We remember meeting 
Aubrey at the crossing of the Arkansas in the summer of that 
year ; he was then just returning from a similar ride, which he 



124 SECRET MILITARY ORGANIZATION. 

had made in something less than eight days. In person, Aubrey 
was a small but very active man, all bone and muscle, just the 
figure for such an expedition — for who doesn't know that there's 
no telling what a little man cannot do when he tries ? 

We met a prominent Free State man, a correspondent 
of the New York Times, here to-day, who is on his way out of 
the country. This gentleman gives us the following in regard 
to the Secret Military Organization of the Free State party. 
He says : that it extends through the States of Illinois, Indiana, 
Iowa, and Northern Michigan, from which some fifteen hundred 
fighting-men were already on their way to assist the citizens of 
Lawrence, when a settlement of the difficulties there, rendered 
the presence of a reinforcement unnecessary, and induced them 
to turn back. From which it would appear, that " the hour and 
the man " of Free State-ism, or Pro-Slavery-ism, for we can 
scarce say which, is yet to come. 

We hear too, from the same source, of a serious misunder- 
standing between Generals Robinson and Lane, the Free State 
leaders. Its origin was thus : It seems, that after the settlement 
of difficulties in Lawrence, it was thought proper to give a 
supper and ball, at the Free State Hotel, or Eldridge House 
which is to be, to celebrate the happy termination of the Waka- 
rusa War, and hail the advent of 

" Those piping times of peace,' 

as Shakespeare has it. Now this ball was free to all comers. 
Indeed it was not only a jollification, got up without distinction 
of party, but a sort of soothiug plaster to cement the blessed 
re-union which has just been consummated between Free-Soilism 
and Pro-Slavery, and heal the wounds of all parties concerned. 
Among other distinguished personages, General Robinson ten- 
dered a special invitation to the Pro-Slavery sheriff, of Doug- 
las County (Jones), a person at that time highly obnoxious to 



THE SHERIFF'S INVITATION. 125 

the Free-Soilers, who regarded him as being little better than a 
fit emissary of what they looked upon " with as favorable eyes 
as Gabriel on the Devil in Paradise " — the so styled " Bogus 
Legislature." After tendering this invitation, and receiving 
Jones's acceptance of the same, General Robinson went back to 
the supper-room, and then asked (which we fancied might better 
have been done at first), if it were agreeable to the company 
present that Sheriff Jones should attend ? to this an almost unani- 
mous cry of " Yes, let him come," was the response. When 
General Lane got upon his legs, and made what we have heard 
styled a very inflammatory speech, in which he stated that he 
had talked with a committee from three of the Lawrence com- 
panies of Free State Kansas Volunteers, who had declared that 
the men of those companies would not be present, if Jones was 
permitted to become a guest. This called forth a shout of 
11 Keep him out then." In answer to this, Robinson imme- 
diately rose, and expostulated with those present, at the same 
time pointing out to the malcontents, that he had invited 
Jones, who must therefore be considered their guest, and as such 
entitled, by every law of hospitality, to courteous treatment at 
their hands. To this Lane replied, by stating that he " had 
rather a million of Joneses should stay away, than that one of 
his men should be prevented from coming." He then went on 
to speak of the killing of the Free State man Barber, making use 
of this unhappy circumstance as a theme well calculated to excite 
the indignation of his hearers. General Robinson then declared 
that Jones should come, or he himself would stay away, where- 
upon, our informant adds, high words passed between General 
Lane and himself, which ended in Robinson's going up to the 
room in which Jones was stopping, and reiterating his invita- 
tion. Jones, having, in the meantime, heard of the opposition to 
his being present, declined the supper, but upon being urged by 
the Free State General, accompanied him to the ball, where he 



126 THE LION OF THE EVENING. 

was introduced to several of the Lawrence belles, who, by the 
way, are strong politicians, and even more belligerent in their 
Wakarusa War notions, than their Free State " lords and mas- 
ters." And thus it was that the very pugnacious Jones became 
the lion of the evening, and the cynosure of every eye. It is 
even hinted that one of the fair ladies present intimated a desire 
to see him safe home, that is to say to "Franklin, a distance of four 
miles, which, with the mercury at zero, and at two o'clock in the 
morning, strikes us as being a very masculine undertaking. The 
Missourians are reported to have fought shy of this festivity, as 
a general thing. And it is even hinted that one of the Free 
State Yolunteers, w T ho must have been little better than a beast, 
avowed his determination to murder Sheriff Jones in cold blood, 
as he entered the ball-room. It is on record, however, that he 
didnH shoot, and we sincerely trust that if he had, there would 
have been manliness enough in the soldiers of the Free State 
Yolunteers to have taken the fiend out of doors and hung him 
upon the nearest tree, and we believe, moreover, that it would 
have been done. 



GOOD BYE TO WESTPORT. 12 1 



CHAPTER XIII. 



WE JOURNEY TO LECOMPTON. 



And now we will resume our quotations from our letter en 
route : 

House on the Pbairie, near Lecompton, K. T., Dec. 20^, 1855. 

We left Westport, Mo., at 9 a. m.. yesterday, in an open wag- 
on loaded with doors, carpenter's tools, bedding, etc. (this 
being the first conveyance to Lecompton), with the understand- 
ing, duly entered into between ourself and the driver, that we 
should walk up the bad hills and down the steep ones, which, as 
it was no more than we have been doing for the benefit of 
Smashup, Breakdown & Co.'s humbug of a stage-line, ever since 
we left St. Louis (not to mention packing a rail), seemed no very 
great hardship. We had for company on the road, beside the 
driver, who had been " raised in Illinois" (where he had followed 
the example of that eccentric Westerner who swore, that if a man 
hadn't a right to get the chills in a new country, he hadn't a 
right to do anything ; and very nearly shaken himself to death 
in carrying out the principle), an Empire State man, a very 
seedy specimen, going to seek his fortune at Lecompton (which, 
as your readers ought to know, has been selected as the capital 
of Kansas), and a certain Mr. Stewart, the recently appointed 
superintendent of Public Buildings at that place. These, with 
your very humble servant, " Our Correspondent," made up the 



128 THE SOLITARY GRAVE. 

complement of bipeds. As for the animal motive power, we had 
a couple of rat-like "Ingianny" horses, of which our driver 
seemed particularly proud, though for what particular good qua- 
lity it was impossible to say, and a short-tailed mule of Stewart's 
which did duty both as a riding-animal, and as a leader to our 
team, when a steep hill required an extra effort. 

At 2 o'clock, p. m., we halted at Donaldson's, a Kentuckian 
who married the daughter of a Shawnee chief (Captain Parks), 
and is therefore entitled to reside upon the " Indian Reserve;" 
his dwelling, a new stone house, just erected at a cost of 
$2,800, is, for " these diggin's," quite an aristocratic affair, being- 
two stories in height, with doors, windows, and such like luxu- 
ries, and wonderful to relate, lathed and plastered inside. Here 
we dined, at " two bits" (York shillings) per head, on hog-meat 
and wild honey, and then progressed, feeling, so far as our indi- 
vidual self was concerned, considerably better, on our way to 
Bean's Hotel (?) on Wakarusa Creek, where we proposed halt- 
ing for the night. 

As we journeyed slowly on, our friend Stewart pointed out to 
us a rude wooden enclosure, standing solitary and alone, upon a 
ridge of the prairie ; " There," said he, " I witnessed a strange 
ceremony last spring. The friends of an Indian brave, whose 
spirit had sought the hunting-grounds of his fathers, were bury- 
ing their dead out of their sight beneath yon snow-covered 
mound. As I rode up, the interment had been completed, and 
the mould filled in. The horse of the dead chieftain was then 
led forth and shot beside the grave, with a favorite hound of 
the deceased ; for it is the custom of their people, when the red 
man goes forth upon that unknown trail, to send his fleetest 
steed and faithful dog to bear him company." 

During this day's travel our way lay, for the most part, over 
long rolls of up-swelling prairie, with here and there a long line 
of timber, marking the location of some creek, or bottom land ; 



SNOW-CLAD PRAIRIES. 129 

but as a general thing, the earth boasted neither bush nor 
shrub. 

Poets who eulogize what Bryant styles 

" — The gardens of the desert, 

For which the speech of England has no name, 

should ride over them — as we have done to-day — in the teeth 
(and they ought to be aching ones) of this December blast, on 
the top of a loaded wagon, with their eyes a fountain of waters, 
and their noses an indigo blue, and we will venture to say that 
they would quote from Shakspeare as we once heard an Irish- 
man do, and declare with practical Pat, that " a prairie is divil a 
bit better than jist flat, stale, and unprofitable." 

We know that " Our Correspondent " found it so, for as the sun 
went down, and the biting gale came sweeping over the long, 
unprotected "rolls," we would have given all the romance of 
strange travel in a yet stranger country, for the every-day crea- 
ture comforts of a warm room and a hot supper. Yes, we will 
be candid ; be it confessed, then, that we shivered, and shook, 
and played the old Harry's tatoo with our chattering mastica- 
tors, until, between " the influence of the hour," and the indi- 
gestion naturally arising from a hog and honey dinner, we got 
the blues — grew desperate — wished Kansas, " the war," and the 
New York Herald in that extremity, and your humble servant, 
the writer, safely back again in the " Empire State." But 
" Bean's Hotel," brought us up handsomely at eight, p.m., 
and we assure you that we had not taken our half-frozen 
body out of the wagon over half-an-hour before we thawed 
out, and, tinlike Mark Tapley — who was always doing well 
under "depressing circumstances" — "turned up jolly" under 
the genial influences of a big log-fire, and a hot cup of coffee. 
But we should do the reader, ourself, and mine host, Mr. 
Bean, an injustice, if we neglected to describe his " hotel," 

6* 



130 bean's hotel. 

inside and out. It is a log-cabin, or rather two log-cabins, with 
a connecting link between, in the shape of a porch, which is ob- 
tained by continuing the flooring and room, but omitting the 
sides ; to either end of this Siamese twin house is attached a huge 
chimney, of such tremendous dimensions, that it quite carried out 
an idea which we heard hazarded once by a certain Miss Biddy 
O'Rourke, of " a house built to a chimney ;" but fuel is cheap 
in a new country, and there are worse things after a long day's 
ride than a heaping wood-fire, with its sparkles and flashes of 
light, and its great red coals, which peep- out like fiery eyes ; 
not to mention the glowing pictures which the day-dreamer fan- 
cies, as he watches, with thoughtful brow, the upward course of 
the glowing sparks ; and then for furniture (for we always love 
to locate ourself to the reader, even at the risk of being taken 
for an upholsterer on a tour), we have a pile of books, a chest 
of drawers, antique — a table, very shaky — a big bed, quite 
primitive in its way — a little ditto, which, with a small armory 
of rifles and other murderous utensils, complete the inventory. 
And then there's the group around the fire ; but it would require 
too great an effort to do them justice, and moreover, if we re- 
member aright, we have already given the reader " a taste of 
our quality/-' in the way of fireside descriptions ; so we won't 
repeat the dose, at least at present, the more so as we are in 
honor bound to write Kansas, and really " nothing shorter." A 
truce then, to any description of character, be the originality ever 
so striking, or the temptation ever so great ; suffice it to say 
that we slept that night the sleep of a weary man, on a feather, 
bed, with a buffalo attachment (where we dreamed of Rocky 
Mountain snow-drifts), in a thorough draft, with a door half a 
foot too short on one side, and an insecure window, whose glasses 
were absent without leave, upon the other ; and so ended our 
first day and night in Kansas. 

In the morning, we breakfasted and started betimes, so that 



FRANKLIN. 131 

in spite of our snail pace motion, we reached the town of Frank- 
lin about noon, where, as our orders include, " the industrial and 
agricultural prospects of the new Territory and its people," we 
obtained the following "facts," which we give you as they were 
told us, having first, to guard against misrepresentations, de- 
ducted twenty per cent, for any personal interest which our in- 
formant might have had in settling that particular vicinity. 

Franklin, Kansas Territory, is what the geographer would 
call pleasantly situated on a somewhat prominent hill or prairie 
ridge. It was first settled by one Wallace of Iowa, in October, 
1853, but permanent buildings were not commenced until June 
of the present year. As regards the value of land, town lots, 
sixty by one hundred and twenty feet, bring, according to loca- 
tion, from $25 to $100, although, for that matter, we should 
much prefer to buy at a less rate, and at a greater distance 
from the main body of the place, for we understand that the 
whisky-drinking and gambling propensities of the good citizens 
of Franklin are pretty generally known. Timber, principally 
oak (various kinds), and black walnut, is to be had in present 
abundance, at the distance of a little over a mile from the town. 
Excellent water may be obtained by digging to a depth of 
from twenty-five to thirty-six feet ; but these wells sometimes 
go dry. For building purposes, pine lumber may be obtained 
at Kansas city — the nearest point — at a cost, including trans- 
portation to Franklin, of $80 per thousand feet. Agricultur- 
ists say that the yield of corn in that vicinity — first crop — taking 
a range of two miles from Franklin, has been sixty bushels to the 
acre, in lands on the Wakarusa bottom, and twenty-five bushels 
in sod on the prairie. A two-story frame building, forty-two by 
thirty-two feet, comfortably furnished inside, has just been put 
up at a cost of $1,400. We were afterwards invited to attend 
a house-warming upon the completion of this dwelling by its 
owner, who very kindly offered to send a conveyance to Law- 



132 INTERESTING TO EMIGRANTS. 

rence, where we were then stopping, to bring us down, and we 
regret that our engagements and the severity of the weather 
should have prevented us from seeing a social fandango in Frank- 
lin, where, to do the people justice, they are said to get up 
those sort of things in very good (frontier) style. 

But to return. There are some twelve houses and cabins 
built or in progress of erection. 

The population of this place is from seventy-five to one hun- 
dred souls. It is a strong Pro-Slavery town, and furnished a 
large quota — nearly sixty men — to the Governor's forces for 
" the "War." It has a steam saw-mill of eighteen horse power. 
The citizens claim to have had no cases of that great Western 
bug-bear, the all shaking fever and ague, as yet ; but we should 
say that the location, with the large swampy bottom in its vici- 
nity, was favorable to the production of swamp miasmas. 

Franklin is distant by some thirty-eight miles from Westport, 
Mo., fifty-five from Independence, three from Lawrence, and 
fifteen from Lecompton, the capital of Kansas Territory. 

We are indebted to Mr. Stewart, our fellow traveller, for 
much useful data in re Kansas and her prospects. 

The following "facts and figures," which have been derived 
in part from the gentleman just alluded to, and others well 
qualified to give accurate information, may, we think, be 
regarded as reliable, and, we trust, prove useful to those who 
contemplate " moving into the Territory." These calculations, 
it should be remarked, will apply equally well to a large portion 
of Eastern Kansas. 

Day laborers command $1 35 per day and find themselves ; 
mechanics from $1 75 to $2 00 per day, without board ; wash- 
ing — as there is a lack of females as yet — is high, say$l 25 per 
dozen; single-team wagons — calculating the average day's travel 
at twenty-five miles — may be had at from $4 50 to $5 00 per 
day. You may reckon thirty bushels to the wagon. Fencing 



FACTS AND FIGURES. 133 

may be estimated, where you hire the labor, at $4 00 per hun- 
dred rails ; this includes everything, splitting, hauling, and set- 
ting. Though authorities differ upon this point, we should say 
that it would be a saving to the emigrant if he were to purchase 
his building materials, fully manufactured, in St. Louis, and 
transport them to the site selected. When we say building 
materials we mean doors, sashes, frame-work, flooring, &c. It is 
not only a saving in the transportation of bulk, which of course 
is greater in the undressed material, but the difference in the 
prices of labor, lumber, &c, will, in the present state of the 
market, make a saving upon the articles purchased in St. Louis 
of nearly 20 per cent. Frame houses, which are built entire in St. 
Louis, or, to speak more properly, their components, have already 
been transported to Kansas for erection, at a considerable saving 
to their owners. For instance, the Auditor of the State, Mr. 
Donaldson, has such a house at Lecompton — it is two stories 
high, has two rooms in the lower, being lined with dressed pine 
boards inside, and there are two rooms above, say sixteen by 
eighteen feet each — which cost its proprietor when finished 
including transportation by steamer to Kansas City, and from 
thence by wagon to Lecompton, $800. We are told that in 
many parts of the Territory concrete is the cheapest building 
material ; it can be put up at an expense of fourteen cents per 
cubic foot. This speaks well for the building stone and quarries 
of Kansas. 

It costs about $8 00 per acre, lowest estimate, to " improve a 
claim." Of the claim system, so universal in our Territories, we 
shall speak more fully elsewhere. Under the same head fall 
" squatter laws " and "preemption rights." 

And now, having given the reader this much of sober dollar 
and cent facts, we will go on with our pencillings by the 
way. 

At one, p. m., as we rolled up "a rise," our delighted though 



134 THE PROMISED LAND. 

somewhat mud-blinded optics beheld for the first time the far- 
famed city of Lawrence. How shall our feeble pen express our 
sensations ? We gazed upon the scene as did the patriarch of 
old when he beheld the promised land. But in good earnest we 
felt a deep interest in Lawrence ; and as we watched her snowy 
banner floating in the breeze, we snuffed up the pure, albeit some 
what freezing gales of the prairie with a keener relish, and mur- 
mured " This air Lawrence." We didn't apostrophize her, because 
we didn't feel equal to the task. We didn't curse her, because the 
inhabitants of that city are stern republicans — " black" though 
they be — and we have the fortune — good or bad as it may be 
— to hail from the Knickerbocker State. We didn't drink her 
health, because Stewart was out of whisky ; but, though we 
didn't say much, we followed the example of the sagacious 
bird, the owl, in keeping up a think; and what we thought, 
shall be chronicled as soon as, in Missouri phrase, we 
"get shut of Kansas." To be serious, however, Law T rence 
— even without taking into consideration her high military repu- 
tation — is "considerable of a town," above which that "large 
stone building," the Kansas Emigrant Aid Society's Free State 
Hotel — that is to be — loomed up pre-eminent. We would fain 
have approached to do it reverence ; but as we were pushing 
on to Lecompton, to confer with his Excellency Governor Shan- 
non, and as the wagon wouldn't stop, we were compelled to 
postpone our pilgrimage to this political shrine until a more 
convenient season. 

So, like the Priest and Levite, we passed by upon the other 
side, and mounted the steep bluff, which reaches down to within 
five hundred yards of the main body of the town, and which, in 
a military point of view, commands the place. ]3ut we won't be 
so uncivil as to handle Lawrence in a military manner here ; no, 
let her glory in her boasted strength, until we get an oppor- 
tunity to fire our paper-bullets at her earthen " breast-works," 



LECOMPTON. 135 

when we expect to prove (we don't mean hope) that Lawrence 
can be taken, and badly taken to boot, her Sharpe's rifles and 
Kansas Brigades to the contrary notwithstanding, in something 
less than two hours, by the watch. 

At three p. m. we entered the woods, where the capitol of 
Kansas Territory, partly is, and principally is to be, and drove 
up to a shanty that covers a sort of "general store," which will 
doubtless expand itself with the progress of the place. Upon the 
stoppage of our conveyance, we picked a "soft place," — no diffi- 
cult matter, for the noon-day sun had began to thaw the frozen 
ground — and jumped off, to the no slight detriment of our 
" boots." Upon alighting, and entering the store, which seemed 
to contain a little of everything, but more particularly cheese 
and corn whisky, we were introduced by our friend Stew T art to 
a " small crowd " of very frontier-looking gentlemen, a little 
rough on the outside, but evidently very good fellows for all 
that. Upon making inquiries for " the Governor," we were 
informed that he was making his residence, during his stay, at 
a " House on the Prairie " — the residence of Major Clarke, Indian 
agent for the Pottawatomies — distant some three miles from 
Lecompton. We were accordingly just "putting out" upon 
friend Stewart's mule — which he had very kindly placed at our 
disposal — when a letter-posted informant suggested, that the 
Governor and Secretary of State, Mr. Woodson, were in another 
part of " the town," which he designated. Upon the receipt of 
this intelligence, we mounted, and rode through a piece of woods, 
found the " other part of the town," consisting of two houses, 
and the Governor, who made his first appearance to our eyes in 
the form of a stoutly-built, elderly gentleman, clad in a rusty 
suit of black, with iron-grey hair (and if the governing of 
Kansas is not enough to turn any man's hair grey, we don't know 
what trouble would), under a most "dilapidated tile." He was 
sitting upon a white horse, a la General Taylor — or as the 



136 NEW FRIENDS. 

"great unwashed" delight to call him, " Old Rough and Ready" — 
and looked dignified, as a Governor should, but good-natured 
withal. So we felt emboldened, reined in our mule, made our 
politest bow, and presented our credentials in the shape of the 
letter of introduction from the distinguished ex-Senator already 
alluded to. The Governor dropped his bridle, put on his 
spectacles, read the document in question, and then shook us 
warmly by the hand and welcomed us to Kansas. Then turn- 
ing to the Secretary of State (Woodson), who was riding at 
his side, he gave us the initiative to an acquaintance, which we 
afterwards took great pleasure in cultivating. We then rode 
down together, to the resideuce of Dr. Rodrigue, a promi- 
nent citizen of Kansas, who has informed himself thoroughly in 
relation to the natural resources of the Territory ; with Doctor 
Rodrigue, we found Sheriff Jones. We found him rather a 
fine-looking young man, of some eight and twenty years of 
age, or thereabouts, who, unfortunately for our young lady 
friends, is married to a very nice wife. Well, we shook hands 
with these new friends, and then pursued our way, in company 
with Woodson and the Governor, by a short cut, to " House 
on the Prairie," where we arrived in safety, as the sun was 
going down, and met a hearty reception from its inmates. 

After supper we entered into conversation with Governor 
Shannon and his private secretary — a son of the Governor's, 
whom we were introduced to at Major Clarke's — upon the 
multiplicity of matters which our duties, as a newspaper corres- 
pondent, make it our province to investigate, and the Governor 
very kindly promised to give us a history of " the war." 



THREATENINGS. 13*1 



CHAPTER XIV. 

HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE. 

And now it seems proper to say something of Major Clarke, 
from whose hospitable mansion we are writing, as well as to put 
the reader in possession of some of the dangers to which " Our 
special Correspondent" may be exposed, while pursuing his vo- 
cation even in the pacific and law-abiding Territory of Kansas. 

To go back " to the beginning," Major Clarke (who is from 
Arkansas, where he formerly edited a paper, and was a member 
of the State Legislature), has taken, or has had the credit of 
haviug taken — which, with an enemy, always comes to the same 
thing — a very decided Pro-Slavery stand during the recent dif- 
ficultes in Kansas. He was, moreover, one of the two men — 
his companion being Colonel Burns of Weston, Mo. who 
fired upon Barber and his party. These acts have made him 
particularly obnoxious to the Free State men of Lawrence, and 
as his residence is within eight miles of that town, he has been 
repeatedly threatened with violence, in proof of which the fol- 
lowing may be stated. 

Even before Barber was killed, a party of some ten or twelve 
Free State men, armed to the teeth, surrounded Mr. Doak (a 
brother-in-law of the Major's, who resides with him), as he was 
returning home from Lecompton, and told him that, " Now was 
the time that they were going to have the difficulty with Major 
Clarke settled ; that he, the Major, could not live ;" with many 
similar expressions. 



138 A LATE VISITOR. 

Since the death of Barber, a party of some twenty men 
stopped at the dwelling of Judge Wakefield (a prominent Free- 
Soil politician, who has since figured upon both their regular 
and irregular tickets), on the California trail, some three miles 
distant from Major Clarke's, and there swore, in the presence of 
a certain " Squire Crane — 'a very reliable man ' ", — that "Clarke 
should not live ; that he must die," alleging at the same time 
as a reason, that Clark was with the party who killed Barber. 
Barber's two brothers were said to have been with these men. 

In addition to these matters, of which Major Clarke has at 
various times been notified, it may be mentioned as an additional 
proof of the hostile intentions of his enemies, that a Doctor 
Johnson, a son of the present governor of Virginia, who has 
been residing at " House on the Prairie," for the last two weeks, 
— his own dwelling being in the immediate neighborhood — to 
assist in defending Clarke's house from any attack that might be 
made upon it, has been fired upon no less than three times, 
the ball — upon the last occasion — passing through his coat. The 
circumstances under which these attacks were made are as fol- 
lows : Iii the first instance, which occurred just after Dr. John- 
son arrived at " House on the Prairie," three suspicious-looking 
men rode up in front of Clarke's house ; this was after nightfall. 
To ascertain their intentions and business there, Doctor Johnson 
stepped out into the yard and hailed them ; to this they 
returned no satisfactory reply ; the Doctor then fired upon 
them with his pistol, upon which two of the strangers wheeled 
about and returned the fire, after which they immediately rode 
off. No person -was hit, so far as could be ascertained, upon 
either side. 

Upon the second occasion — which dates back to the Monday 
preceding our visit — Doctor Johnson was walking up from 
Benicia, some two miles from Major Clarke's, and when about 
midway between the two places, a man mounted upon a grey 



SHOOTING AT A DOCTOR. 139 

horse, rode out from the bushes, and called out : " Is your name 
Dr. Johnson ?" to which the Doctor answered, " Yes." The man 
replied, " Then you are the rascal I have been waiting for ;" 
and immediately fired upon him with a pistol — for this would-be 
assassin had no gun— the ball, as before stated, passing through the 
skirt of the Doctor's coat. Before the Doctor could draw his 
pistol to return the shot, the man had ridden off and disappeared 
in the brush. Dr. Johnson begins to grow superstitious about these 
repeated attempts to take his life ; he says that they come nearer 
and nearer every time, and he fears that the next attempt will 
be successful. 

Major Clarke's residence has now been regularly guarded, for 
upwards of two weeks ; loaded rifles rest against the walls, and 
11 six-shooters " lie " handy " upon the tables. Some of Clarke's 
Pro-Slavery friends are constantly there, and if an attack be 
made, the assailants may count upon a most desperate resistance. 
There is hardly any room to doubt that if an overt act be com- 
mitted in this quarter, a war of extermination would be the 
result. For, were Major Clarke's residence to be molested in 
his absence, the Missourians would be almost certain to cross 
the frontier, and level Lawrence with the ground ; at least, such 
is the impression of those best qualified to judge. 

To give some idea of the state of excitement and apprehension 
which exists among the members of the Major's family, we may 
mention, that Major Clarke has already fired upon, and wounded 
one of a party of his friends who were approaching his house, 
late in the evening, under the impression that they were enemies. 
Indeed, a knock at the front door this very evening caused a 
muster of the " tools," and it was not until the name and busi- 
ness of the stranger were fully understood, and deemed pacific, 
that the door was (even then), cautiously opened for his admis- 
sion. 

For ourself, we are free to confess, and we don't care who 



140 THE GUARDED HOUSE. 

knows it, that we shall, during our stay in Kansas, deny ourself 
the luxury of moonlight rambles, or the pleasure of paying visits 
after sundown. 

The annexed letter will come in very properly here. It is a 
communication from Major Clarke to Governor Shannon, 
dated from House on the Prairie, which he sometimes calls Camp 
Clarke, and addressed to His Excellency, at Shawnee Mission. 
The following is a literal copy : — 

Camp Clarke, Dec. 3, 1855. 

Dear Sir : — I hasten to write you by an express that is now on its way 
(12 o'clock at night). My house is a fortification. I am compelled to keep 
a guard with sentinels all night. Unless the violators of the law are dis- 
armed, the country is ruined. If the troops should withdraw without this 
being done, a partisan war will continue. Murders, house burnings, and 
all the outrages incident to civil war will follow ; or we (the law-abiding 
men) will have to withdraw from the Territory, to our great pecuniary dis- 
tress. 

The outlaws have marked our men. They keep their movements secret, 
and we know not who is first to be attacked, or when it will be made. We 
have learned, upon ample authority, that more than one hundred Sharpe's 
rifles are distributed in the immediate neighborhood. My next door neigh- 
bors have them in possession, and only two days ago ten armed men sur- 
rounded a member of my family with threatening language, and ended the 
interview with a threat to dispose of myself. 

We, the law abiding men, appeal to you, and insist that nothing less 
than the surrender of the arms now held by the traitors can satisfy the 
community. They are in open rebellion — they have their arms for the 
special purpose of resisting the laws and avenging supposed injuries — with 
these arms they have already forcibly rescued prisoners from the hands of 
the officers — they threaten to rescue others ; they are protecting men who 
have broken custody, and in every sense they are traitors, and giving aid 
and comfort to traitors. 

In haste, your friend and obedient servant, 

George W. Clarke. 

To Governor Wilson Shannon, Shawnee Mission. 



A DEPLORABLE TRANSACTION. 141 

Major Clarke, it should be remembered, has been for the last 
three years (as Indian agent of the Pottawatomies) an officer 
of the general government, stationed in the Territory. He is 
represented as being an impetuous, and highly excitable, but 
withal, kind-hearted person ; a democrat and ultra-Pro-Slavery 
man in his politics ; in fact, what is usually called a thorough- 
going Southerner. 

It is admitted that the Major was one of the Pro-Slavery men 
who took part in that unfortunate rencounter, which resulted in 
the killing of the Free State man, Barber. 

The following may be regarded as a correct statement of the 
circumstances attending this deplorable transaction, as we have 
learned them from the most reliable Pro-Slavery authorities. 
For the Free State versions of the affair, we must refer the 
reader to the narratives of Barber and Pierson, the brother and 
brother-in-law of the deceased, which" will be found under their 
proper head. We should also remark, that we finally obtained 
an account of the matter from Major Clarke himself, but as this 
paper has been unfortunately lost, we are compelled to give his 
side of the story as it has come to us, through a person to whom 
he related the alleged facts ; it is, however, substantially the 
same, if we mistake not, as that which we received from Major 
Clarke. 

On the 1th of December, at noon, Major Clarke left the Pro- 
Slavery camp at Lecompton in company with a party of its 
leading men, among whom were Major General Richardson, com- 
manding the Militia of Kansas, Judge Cato of the Supreme 
Court, and Judge Woods of the Police Court of Douglas county. 
These gentlemen were going, in compliance with the request of 
Governor Shannon, to confer with his Excellency at the Waka- 
rusa camp. 

While on their way, they perceived a party of three mounted 
men coming from the direction of Lawrence ; and as verbal 



142 THE BARBER HOMICIDE. 

orders had been issued to arrest all suspicious persons, it was 
proposed that an equal number should be detached from their 
party to intercept and question these people ; and if their 
answers should prove unsatisfactory, arrest them. This sugges- 
tion was about to be adopted, when Colonel Burns of Weston, 
Mo., one of the persons selected, said : "Why do we want so 
many ? — two of us are enough to take these vile Abolitionists, 
anyhow."' Burns and Major Clarke were accordingly detailed, 
and rode out to overtake the Free State men. This they did ; 
and, after halting them, a conversation ensued, in which the 
Free State men not only declared that there was no law nor 
order in the Territory, but declined to surrender themselves, in 
compliance with the demand of Clarke and his companions. 
Upon this, both parties commenced drawing their arms — that is 
to say, with the exception of one of the Free State men (who 
was most probably the man killed) ; this person sat upon his 
horse a little apart from his companions ; he had a switch in his 
hand, but drew no arms, nor did he appear to have any. Both 
parties " squared to each other," and fired — pistols being the only 
weapons used. On the part of the Pro-Slavery men, Clarke 
was armed with a small five-inch Colt's revolver, while Burns 
had a Navy revolver, which is heavier and carries a much larger 
ball. After exchanging shots, the Free State men galloped 
off. Burns proposed to send a "long shot" after them 
from his rifle, but Clarke objected, saying, " Let them go." 
Burns is said to have admitted, that he thought he hit the man 
whom he fired at, as he saw him press his hand to his side, or, 
as others state it, " Saw the fur fly from his old great coat." 
When the Lawrence men rode off, they showed no appearance 
of being hurt. Clarke declares that he had not the slightest sus- 
picion that they had wounded one of their antagonists, until 
news was brought at a late hour that night to the Waka- 
rusa camp that a Lawrence man had been killed in this ren- 



MAJOR CLARKE ? S STATEMENT. 143 

counter. It was rumored, that upon the receipt of this intelli- 
gence, Colonel Burns left the camp and returned to Missouri ; 
this, however, is incorrect, as both Burns and Clarke remained 
with the Pro-Slavery faction until the termination of the Law- 
rence difficulties. 

Neither Clarke nor his companion knew any of the men 
with whom they had this fight. There was, therefore, no per- 
sonal malice nor previous quarrel between them. It seems 
proper to add, that Major Clarke not only does not wish to 
shun a thorough judicial inquiry into his own conduct in this 
affair, but actually desires such an investigation. He is, more- 
over, willing to abide by the result. It is understood that the 
Major is at present at St. Louis, upon business connected with 
his Indian agency, but will shortly return to his residence near 
Lecompton. 

And now, as our letter is already of the largest we will for- 
bear further writing until General Whitfield's mules shall have 
hauled us to Shawnee Mission, for we have accepted an invitation 
to accompany the Governor to that place, from whence we hope 
to date our next epistle. 



144 THE GUBERNATORIAL MANSION. 



CHAPTER XY. 

THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE AT SHAWNEE MISSION. 

I am writing in the Executive office, and for that matter, the 
private bed-room, public parlor, library and general sanctum of 
his Excellency Wilson Shaunon, Governor of Kansas Territory. 
Now, as some of your readers may suppose that to be Governor 
of Kansas is a very high, very mighty and very easy office — a 
sort of sinecure, in fact, where the favored incumbent wears 
"purple and fine linen," and "fares sumptuously every day" — 
I will take the liberty to dispel the illusion, and convince the 
boldest visionary that the Governorship of Kansas is a reality 
of the sternest kind, by a pen and ink sketch of our present 
surroundings ; and remember, too, that this is the most respon- 
sible looking building which we have as yet seen in the Territory, 
built of brick and of considerable dimensions. 

Well, to locate the Gubernatorial apartment — it is some 
twenty feet square, has a door opening out upon (that Ameri- 
canism) a " piazza ;" also a window, with a vis-a-vis of two 
windows, which look out upon a picket-fenced back yard, a 
hill-side and some trees. The windows are shaded by faded 
chintz curtains, which, even in their original freshness, never cost 
a fortune ; a double curled-maple four poster, which assists the 
sleeping of the Governor and his private secretary, occupies 
one corner of the room ; a wash-stand that even a " fashionable 
Biddy " would look askance at, stands opposite ; between the 



MOST PARTICULARLY DEMOCRATIC. 145 

two, a little table, a crooked looking-glass, and a huge pile of 
lawbooks, fill up " the aching void ;" while a rusty stove, with its 
rustier pipe, warms one-half of the apartment, which is, however, 
kept even more than comfortably cool by the ill-hung door, that 
lets in more air than a regiment of patent ventilators ; in medias 
res stands a larger table, littered with piles of public documents, 
newspapers, and writing materials, with a blue Mackinaw blanket 
by way of covering, on which " Our Special Correspondent " is at 
this moment driving a pen ; the corners and sides of the room 
are piled up with books — law predominating. Everything, in 
fact, bespeaks the residence of one, who cultivates the brain 
rather than the body. The Territorial seal, which, with a-half 
gallon of Marquand's ink, and an old pair of breeches, occupies 
a box at the foot of the bed, is all that tells of the power vested 
in its occupant. Add to this, that the floor is uncarpeted, and 
the walls more than slightly dilapidated, and I think that the 
reader will concur with me in pronouncing Wilson Shannon the 
most literally democratic Governor in these United States. For 
ourself, we are willing to go even a step farther, and declare that if 
the " sovereign people," after such convincing proofs of his stern 
republicanism, don't make him next President, they will do them- 
selves and everybody concerned rank injustice. 

I bade farewell to our hospitable friends at House on the 
Prairie, near Lecompton, from whence our last letter was for- 
warded early yesterday morning, and we regret to add that we 
departed with a sad foreboding that ere we met again their 
pleasant home (which, as we stated in our last, had been threat- 
ened with violence) ; might be made the scene of strife and 
bloodshed, for suspicious persons were heard moving about the 
place during the night, and we, ourself, at about two o'clock in 
the morning, heard distinctly the trampling of a horse, and the 
jingling accoutrements of its rider, as he twice rode round the 
house. The day, even for December, was intensely cold (the 

7 



146 THE SECKETARY OF STATE. 

mercury standing at zero) ; the landscape looked cheerless in the 
extreme, and the sky grey and wintry. But our team, with a 
long ambulance attached (the whole belonging to General Whit- 
field, now in Washington), proved a good one ; and the vehicle, 
which, like most ambulances, or "prairie wagons,' 7 as they call 
them here, proved rather airy, was made comfortable by wrap- 
ping ourselves in buffalo robes and moccasins. So with the 
Governor's private secretary (Mr. Shannon), for a driver, we 
rolled out upon the road, with the Governor occupying a seat 
beside his son, while the Secretary of State, his little boy, a 
bright-looking youngster of nine, and "Our Correspondent," 
crowded the inside of the conveyance. 

If we except a halt at Bean's, where we ate a primitive din- 
ner of waxy-cold biscuits, and that external " hog meat," which, 
if possible, was colder than the bread, and some few gettings out 
to walk at bad places — for the natural roads of Kansas Territory 
proper, are equal, if not superior, to any in the world — there 
was little to interrupt the shivering, wearisome monotony of our 
ride ; for though men may be companionable in staging it at 
the start, their conversational intercourse generally terminates, 
unless you do some " leg stretching," with the first twenty miles, 
when - the travellers, in most cases, subside into a gloomy, misan- 
thropic, half dreamy state, which lasts until a halting-place 
thaws them out. But as our friend Woodson, the Secretary of 
State, did talk to us during a portion of the trip, and as Wood- 
son began life by sticking type in " old Yirginny," and ended his 
adventures in that section of country by becoming the editor 
and proprietor of a journal in Lynchburg ; and as Woodson is 
a clever fellow, who knows how to tell a good story well, we 
know that you will be pleased to get the derivation of those 
much quoted " Westernisms " — Lynch law and bowie-knife — 
as we heard them from his lips. 

Lynch law owes its title to a certain Squire Lynch — a stern 



judge lynch's court-house. 147 

and uncompromising old patriot, who lived duriug " the times 
that tried men's souls/' on his plantation, distant some three 
miles from the present site of Lynchburg, Ya. It was the cus- 
tom in those stirring days of the Revolution, for his neighbors, 
when they caught a tory, to bring the unlucky culprit before 
Squire Lynch, who at once organized a court of his own selec- 
tion, in which he himself was judge, jury, and counsel for the 
prisoner. If the crime were proved, he would proceed to pass 
sentence, by awarding from fifty to one hundred stripes, to be 
well laid on ; or, it may be, even a graver penalty, in proportion 
to the magnitude of the offence. And it is note-worthy, that as 
this was a court from whence there was no appeal, few thought of 
preaching " higher law," or taking exception to his Honor's 
findings. 

Our informant adds, that the old man's memory is still greatly 
revered in that section of the <l Old Dominion," while his descend- 
ants are justly reckoned among those highly respectable people, 
"the first families of Virginia." A grandson of the Judge, 
Charles II. Lynch, Esq., still resides upon the paternal estate ; 
and a venerable oak, one of the real old settlers, is even now 
pointed cut to the curious, as the canopy under which Judge 
Lynch held his rough and ready court ; those who have seen it, 
say that the notches are still visible upon its moss-grown trunk, 
which, in " old lang syne," kept the cords from slipping, while 
the tory got his dose. The town of Lynchburg takes its name 
from the Judge, and it is rumored that the grandson would 
sooner lose an arm than part with the old homestead and its tory- 
haunted tree. 

The bowie knife yarn is simply this : — Mr. Sam Bowie, who 
patronized Arkansas in those good old times when Arkansas 
was what it used to be, being " curious" in his style of fighting, 
wanted tools to suit himself. He therefore invented a singular 
knife, which he wore inside his coat back, and as this peculiar 



148 THE ORIGIN OF THE BOWIE KNIFE. 

instrument gained a wider and bloodier popularity, it took the 
name of its originator, until the bowie knife has outlived the 
recollection of a man who knew how to use his favorite weapon 
as well as any citizen of the once far-famed Territory of 
Arkansas. 

Our next paragraph should be headed " How a Governor 
and his Suite Look while Travelling in Kansas." And how 
they do look ! You should have seen His Excellency Governor 
Shannon yesterday, as we footed it up a steep hill at Wakarusa 
Creek. The Governor was ahead ; he sported, what a New 
York " b'hoy n would have termed a "most shocking bad hat,' 7 
while his great coat and continuations looked almost as rusty as 
the country-built boots, which had evidently known no blacking 
for a week. Add to these habiliments a red worsted comforter, 
with the ends tucked in at the breast, and a pair of buckskin 
riding-gloves, and you will have a very precise inventory of "the 
Governor's outer man upon that memorable occasion. As for 
the Secretary of State, he was " deil a bit better off for clothes" 
than his chief ; in fact, he himself affirmed that he looked more 
like a " Border Ruffian " than any of us. The private secretary 
was an improvement on either, and we flatter ourself that your 
humble servant, the writer, was the most fashionably (to quote 
from Toots) " got up " individual in " the crowd," and even he 
didn't cut a very insinuating figure with a smashed-up cap and a 
pair of gray breeches turned up over his boots — to say nothing 
of the butt end of a six shooter and the nozzle of a whisky 
flask which peered out suspiciously from either side-pocket. To 
complete the picture, add, forms doubled up with the cold, 
watering eyes, blue noses, frost-pinched cheeks, and such like 
" compliments of the season," and we will add no more on this 
head. 



GROWING SERIOUS. 149 



CHAPTER XVI. 

THE PRO-SLAVERY SIDE OF THE KANSAS WAR. 

And now it is high time to be serious. We must really 
" quit poking fun " at Kansas, at least for this letter. Gover- 
nor Shannon has been kind enough to state the facts as they 
have come to his knowledge, in relation to the rise, progress, and 
temporary termination (for we are but too fearful that the pre- 
sent calm is but a lull in the wild conflict of contending factions) 
of the unhappy difficulties in this Territory. We believe that 
we are in possession of the main chain of evidence ; for the 
details, we must refer the reader to the accompanying affidavits, 
letters, and official despatches, which, with statements taken 
down by " Our Correspondent," would seem to place the " Pro- 
Slavery party" in a generally favorable position. The genuine- 
ness of the documents presented may be implicitly relied upon, 
as they have been carefully copied by ourself from the files at 
the Territorial Executive office. In giving the Governor's 
narrative of events, which we have taken down from his own 
lips, we disclaim any responsibility for the subject matter, 
beyond the mere style of its composition. We therefore ask an 
impartial hearing for Governor Shannon's statement of facts in 
relation to the late troubles in Kansas Territory, as he has 
derived them from his own personal observation, or the deposi- 
tions, correspondence, and verbal statements of reliable men of 
both parties in and about the Territory. 



150 HICKORY POINT DIFFICULTIES. 

He says : — " On or about the 24th of November, 1855, a 
difficulty occurred between a Pro-Slavery man of the name of 
Coleman, and a Free State man named Dow, in relation to "a 
claim ;" this resulted in a rencounter, in which Coleman killed 
Bow. This gave rise to considerable excitement among the 
Free State people in that neighborhood, which is known as the 
Hickory Point settlement. In this place there are about one 
hundred Free State, and fifteen or sixteen Pro-Slavery, families. 
The excitement ran high, and the Free State men threatened to 
take Coleman, try, and hang him, without any legal judicial 
investigation, by a court and jury of their own. 

"There were also among the settlers at Hickory Point two 
men, named Buckley and Hargis. They were Pro-Slavery men, 
friends of Coleman, and witnesses to the difficulty between him- 
self and Dow. Some two days after the killing of Dow, a party 
of seventy-five men — a majority of whom resided in and about 
Lawrence — went to Hickory Point, to the residence of Hargis, 
and demanded of these friends of Coleman what their testimony 
in the matter would be. They repeated the circumstances as 
they intended to relate them. To this these Free State men, 
who w r ere all armed with Sharpe's rifles, replied (at the same 
time cocking their guns and pointing- them at the breasts of 
Buckley and Hargis), " What you say is false ; the circumstances 
are not so. We give you until Monday to make a correct 
statement of the facts. If you refuse we will kill you." 
This was on Saturday. Before the time given had expired, the 
Free State men burned down the houses of Buckley, Hargis and 
Coleman. In so doing they turned the family of Buckley out of 
doors. This family saved nothing of their wardrobe or furniture 
but the clothes in which they fled." 

The following affidavits of Buckley and Hargis will come in 
very properly here — 



Buckley's affidavit. 151 

affidavit of harrison w. buckley, in relation to the rescue of 

BRANSON, AND THE DIFFICULTIES, HOUSE-BURNINGS, ETC., AT HICKORY 
POINT. 

United States of America^ Territory of Kansas, ss. 

Be it remembered, that on this 6th day of December, in the year A. D. 
1855, personally appeared before me, J. M. Burrell, one of the Associate 
Justices of the Supreme Court of said Territory of Kansas, Harrison 
Buckley, of lawful age, who, being by me duly sworn, saith that he is a 
citizen of the County of Douglas, and has resided therein since 30th day 
of March last, and has resided during all that time at Hickory Grove ; that 
he was informed on good authority, and which he believed to be true, that 
Jacob Branson had threatened his life, both before and after the difficulty 
between Coleman and Dow, which led to the death of the latter. He under- 
stands that Branson swore that deponent should not breathe the pure air 
three minutes after he returned, this deponent at this time having gone 
down to Westport, in Missouri. That it was these threats, made in various 
shapes, that made this deponent really fear for his life, and which induced 
him to make affidavit against the said Branson, and procure a peace war- 
rant to issue and be placed in the hands of the Sheriff of Douglas County. 
That this deponent was with the said Sheriff (S. J. Jones) at the time the 
said Branson was arrested, which took place about two or three o'clock in 
the morning. That Branson was in bed when he was arrested by said 
Sheriff; that no pistol or other weapon was presented at the said Branson 
by any one. That after the arrest, and after the company with the Sheriff 
had proceeded about five miles in the direction of Lecompton, the county 
seat of Douglas County, the said sheriff and his posse were set upon by 
between thirty and forty men, who came out from behind a house, all 
armed with Sharpe's rifles, presented their guns cocked, and called out 
asking who they were, when said Branson replied that they had got him a 
prisoner, and these armed men called on him to come away. Branson 
then went over on their side, and Sheriff Jones said they were doing 
something they would regret hereafter, in resisting the laws ; that he was 
Sheriff of Douglas County, and as such had arrested Branson. These 
armed men replied that they had no laws, no Sheriff, and no Governor, 
and that they knew no laws but their guns. The Sheriff, being over- 
powered, said to these armed men that if they took him by force of arms 
he had no more to say, or something to that effect, and then we rode off. 
This deponent further states that there have been throe houses burnt in 



152 HARGIS'S AFFIDAVIT. 

the Hickory Grove settlement ; one was this deponent's house, another 
belonged to Josiah Kargis, and the third to said Coleman. All I had in the 
world was burnt up, leaving my wife and children without clothing. This 
deponent's wife and four children fled to Missouri, where they still remain 
with their relatives. The house of deponent was burnt down, as it is said, 
shortly before daylight in the morning. The wives and children of both 
Coleman and Hargis also fled to Missouri, where they still remain. There 
were about fifteen or sixteen law-abiding families in the settlement called 
the Hickory Grove settlement about the time these differences sprung up ; 
they have all been forced, by terror and threats of these armed men, to 
flee with their wives and children to the State of Missouri for protection, 
and still remain there. These armed men have repeatedly, in my presence, 
said that they would resist the law by force, and that there was no law in 
this Territory. These threats have been repeatedly made by these men for 
the last three months. And further this deponent saith not. 

H. W. Buckley. 
Sworn and subscribed, the day and year above stated, before me, J. M. 
Burrell, Associate Justice Supreme Court, Kansas Territory. 

Here follows the Affidavit of Josiah Hargis, a Pro-Slavery 
man, and a member of the Sheriff's posse at the time of Bran- 
son's rescue from Sheriff Jones. 

AFFIDAVIT OF JOSIAH HARGIS IN RELATION TO THE RESCUE OF BRANSON, AN© 
THE DIFFICULTIES, HOUSE-BURNINGS, ETC., AT HICKORY POINT. 

United States of America, Territory of Kansas, ss : 

Be it remembered, that on this *7th day of December, A. D. 1855, per- 
sonally came before me, S. G. Cato, one of the Associate Justices of the 
Supreme Court of the Territory of Kansas, Josiah Hargis, of lawful age, 
who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith .that, on or about the 26th day 
of November, 1855, in Douglas County, Sheriff Jones called upon him, with 
nine others, to act as a posse to arrest one Jacob Branson under a peace 
warrant issued by Hugh Cameron, Justice of the Peace ; that he proceeded 
with said sheriff to Hickory Point, in said county, and there arrested said 
Branson, with Avhom they proceeded in the direction of Lawrence ; when 
near a house on the Wakarusa an armed mob, amounting to between 
thirty and forty men, rushed from behind said house, and by force did 
rescue said Branson out of the hands of said sheriff and posse, and, in 



HARGTS'S AFFIDAVIT CONTINUED. 153 

defiance of said sheriff's command, did take said Branson, and refuse to 
deliver him to said sheriff; that the said sheriff told the said mob that he 
held said Branson under a peace warrant, properly issued by a legally 
authorized officer, and that he was sheriff of said county of Douglas, and 
charged with the execution of said writ. The leader of said mob replied to 
said officer that they knew him as Mr. Jones, but not as sheriff of Douglas 
County. He then told them that he would call out the militia to enforce 
the law. Their reply was that he could not get men to enforce said laws. 
He told them then, that he would call on the Governor for assistance, to 
which the said mob replied that they had no laws and no officers, and to 
pitch in. Said mob stood with their guns cocked and presented at the 
time of said rescue. 

This deponent further saith, that one H. W. Buckley, of said County of 
Douglas, was with said sheriff at the time of said rescue, as one of said 
sheriff's posse ; that, during the same night on which said rescue was 
made, said affiant saw a light in the direction of said Buckley's house, and 
that he fully believes said house was at that time being burned ; that he 
believes, from circumstances within his knowledge, that said house, toge- 
ther with his own, was burned by persons concerned with said mob ; and 
that he has reason to believe that some of said houses were fired by said 
Branson aforesaid, assisted by a German commonly called Dutch Charley, 
and that they were counseled and advised thereto by one Farley. This 
affiant further says that, at the time of the rescue of said prisoner, he was 
at a house near Hickory Point, and that he there saw three women who 
told him that there had been an armed force there that day, who had noti- 
fied them to leave, and all other Pro-Slavery families in the neighborhood, 
since when said families have left said neighborhood and fled to the State 
of Missouri. Said affiant further says that he believes there were at that 
time in said neighborhood about fifteen Pro-Slavery families, nearly all of 
whom have fled as aforesaid to the State of Missouri for protection. Said 
armed force was represented to consist of from one hundred to one hun- 
dred and fifty armed men. And further this deponent saith not. 

Josiah Hargis. 

Sworn and subscribed before me, S. G. Cato, associate Justice, Supreme 
Court, Kansas Territory. 

[Note. — The number of these men was probably exaggerated. There ia 
also a discrepancy in the two affidavits as to the direction in which the 

7* 



154 IRRITATING CAUSES. 

Sheriff's party was going at the time when this rescue is alleged to have 
been effected. One deponent says towards Lecompton, and the other 
seems equally positive that it was Lawrence.] 

" Terrified by these lawless proceedings, the sixteen Pro-Slavery 
families residing at Hickory Point fled with their women and 
children into Missouri, where their accounts of the treatment to 
which their friends had been subjected, excited the most intense 
indignation among the Slaveholders of that State. From these 
stories, exaggerated as they spread, and it may be too highly 
colored by their original narrators, the impression became cur- 
rent throughout Missouri that the Free State party of Kansas, 
armed with Sharpe's rifles and revolvers, intended to expel the 
Pro-Slavery men from that Territory. It is alleged that such 
threats were made by individuals of the Free State party ; but 
as they do not appear to have come from responsible persons, it 
would be unfair to infer that this is the avowed purpose of 
their party. In the meantime, Buckley, Hargis, and Coleman 
— who had fled so soon as they could escape from the band who 
were threatening their execution — made their way to the Execu- 
tive office at Shawnee Mission, K. T., to have an interview with 
myself. I was absent at the time. When I returned, Coleman 
had surrendered himself to the Sheriff of Douglas County (Jones), 
who happened to be at the mission. Buckley and Hargis stated 
their grievances to me, and informed me that a man named Bran- 
son, of the Free State party, and one of the residents at Hickory 
Point, with whom Dow (the person killed) had resided, was the 
leader of the band who had threatened and endeavored to extort 
false evidence from them. Upon these representations, I ad- 
vised Buckley to go before a magistrate, or any judicial officer 
of the Territory, make affidavit to the facts as regarded the 
threats of Branson, obtain a peace-warrant against him, and thus 
have him bound over to keep the peace. As Sheriff Jones was 
about starting with Coleman in custody, and Buckley and Har- 



SHERIFF JONES' AFFIDAVIT. 155 

gis in company, on their way to obtain a peace-warraut against 
Branson, an express arrived from Hickory Point, which had 
ridden all night, advising Coleman and his two friends not to 
return to that settlement, as they would certainly be killed by 
the Free State party. Sheriff Jones, with much difficulty, and 
by guaranteeing their safety, at length succeeded in persuading 
them to accompany him to Lecompton, the county seat of 
Douglas County, in which all these difficulties had occurred, and 
from whence it was of course necessary that the peace-warrant 
should be issued. On his arrival there, Buckley, in pursu- 
ance with my advice, went before a justice of the peace — 
Mr. Cameron — made affidavit against Branson, and obtained 
a peace-warrant, which the justice placed in the hands of 
Sheriff Jones for execution, who immediately summoned a 
posse of ten men (citizens of Douglas County) to serve the 
writ." 

The affidavit of Samuel J. Jones, sheriff of Douglas County, 
which we introduce here, will put the reader in possession of the 
facts connected with the rescue of the prisoner Branson from 
his posse, as alleged by the Pro-Slavery party. 

It will be perceived that the sheriff's deposition is corroborated 
for the most part, by those of Buckley and Hargis. 

AFFIDAVIT OF SAMUEL J. JONES, SHERIFF OF DOUGLAS COUNTY, K. T., IN 
RELATION TO THE RESCUE OF HIS PRISONER BRANSON, AND THE CONDUCT 
OF THE FREE STATE PARTY IN LAWRENCE. 

United States of America, Territory of Kansas : 

Be it remembered, that, on the 7th day of December, A. D. 1855, per- 
sonally came before me, S. G. Cato, one of the Associate Justices of the 
Supreme Court of the Territory of Kansas, Samuel J. Jones, Sheriff of the 
County of Douglas, and Territory aforesaid, of lawful age, who being by 
me duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that on the 26th day of November, 
A. D. 1855, he received from the hands of Hugh Cameron, a legally 



156 Jones' affidavit continued. 

appointed justice of the peace for said County of Douglas, a peace-war- 
rant issued by said justice of the peace, and to him directed as sheriff, 
obtained upon the oath of one H. W. Buckley, against one Jacob Bran- 
son, and immediately after receiving said warrant he summoned a posse 
of ten men and proceeded to the house of said Branson, and made the 
arrest, and on his return he and his posse were met by a mob of some 
forty men, armed with Sharpe's rifles, who forcibly rescued the prisoner 
out of his hands, and defied his recapture, swearing at the same time that 
they recognized no law in the Territory, or no officers, from the Governor 
to the lowest officer, and relied only upon their rifles as the law of the 
land, and would at all times defend themselves from being arrested by any 
process issued by any officer of the said Territory ; that he immediately 
made requisition on Governor Wilson Shannon for a sufficient force to 
arrest the said Jacob Branson, and execute other process in his hands as 
sheriff of said county ; that the said Jacob Branson was taken into the 
town of Lawrence, in said county, and there, as he verily believes, as he 
was informed by good authority, tried and acquitted by the citizens of the 
said town, without any legal investigation ; that a mob of some fifteen or 
twenty threatened to tar and feather and inflict other punishment upon 
the justice of the peace who issued the warrant ; that he, as sheriff, has 
been repeatedly insulted by the citizens of the said town of Lawrence, 
and threatened with violence if he attempted to execute any process in 
his hands against any citizen of that place, and he verily believes that he 
would be resisted, and violence committed upon his person, in attempting 
to execute a legal process in said town ; that the citizens of that place and 
vicinity are all armed with Sharpe's rifles for the avowed purpose of 
resisting the execution of the laws of this Territory ; that they are daily 
being drilled for that purpose alone ; that the mob who rescued the said 
Jacob Branson out of his hands, he verily believes, were induced to do 
so by the citizens of Lawrence, and that the public newspapers of that 
place openly recommend and call upon the citizens to resist the laws of 
the Territory, and that the prisoner, Jacob Branson, and a portion of the 
mob who rescued him from his custody, he verily believes to be at this 
time in the town of Lawrence, or secreted by the citizens of that place, 
and that warlike preparations are being made by the citizens of Lawrence 
for the purpose of resisting the execution of the process in his hands, 
and that it would not be prudent to attempt to execute said process with- 



JOH>J p. wood's statement. 157 

out a very strong force to assist him, and further this deponent saith 

not. 

S. J. Jones, 

Sheriff, Douglas County, Kansas Territory. 

Sworn and subscribed before me, S. G. Cato, Associate Justice of the 
Supreme Court of Kansas Territory. 

The Governor continued — " This rescue took place on Tuesday 
morning, the 21th of November, at about two, a.m. The rescuing 
party then returned to Lawrence, where they held a meeting, at 
eight o'clock, a.m., on the same day. Branson, the prisoner, 
presided, dressed, as it is said, in a military uniform, while S. N. 
Wood, the leader and spokesman of the rescuing party, made 
speeches of an incendiary character, glorying in the triumph of 
the Free State men over the laws of the Territory. 

The following document comes in here, as being pertinent to 
matters alluded to by Governor Shannon in the foregoing para- 
graph. 

STATEMENT OF JOHN P. WOOD, IN RELATION TO CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH OC- 
CURRED IN THE TOWN OP LAWRENCE, SHORTLY AFTER THE RESCUE OP THE 
PRISONER BRANSON, FROM SHERIFF JONES; TAKEN DECEMBER 7, 1855. 

Mr. Wood states that he was in Lawrence on or about the 27th and 28th 
of November, 1855, and was going up street when he met a Mr. C. W. 
Babcock, who informed him that on the night before, Branson had been 
rescued from Sheriff Jones, by a number of armed men. As Babcock and 
Wood continued up the street, a man named S. N. Wood approached them, 
dressed in a military uniform, with sword on, etc. Some one proposed 
three cheers for S. N". Wood, the rescuer of Branson. I heard Wood ad- 
mit that he was with the mob who rescued Branson ; he moreover gave the 
names of seven or eight others, among whom were those of Abbot, Smith, 
and Curless. I saw Curless afterwards, and asked him why he was en- 
gaged in such an outrage. He or some one else told me that the leaders 
informed him that Sheriff Jones had no writ for Branson, but had only 
arrested him to prevent his giving evidence against Coleman. 

Note. — Governor Shannon's secretary informs us that the 



158 THE ABSENTEE. 

gentleman who makes this statement (Mr. John P. Wood) is an 
Illinoisian, a citizen of Lawrence, and Probate Judge of Doug- 
las County ; he is also, a Pro-Slavery man in his politics, and a 
large property holder in Lawrence, from whence he is at present 
an absentee, for fear of personal violence, with which he has 
been threatened by the Free State party in that town. He has 
made himself obnoxious to the Free Soilers, by holding office 
under what they call " The Missouri Bogus Legislature." 



A MODEST REQUEST. 159 



CHAPTER XVII. 

GOVERNOR SHANNON'S HISTORY OF THE WAKARUSA WAR. 

" From this day forth the Free State party in Lawrence openly 
commenced their military organization, by drilling, sending out 
their runners — as is proven by the fact that they collected men 
from points even as far distant as eighty miles — and otherwise 
putting their town in a position to resist, by force of arms, the 
legally constituted authorities of Kansas Territory." 

" Upon the same night, about eight o'clock, I received a dis- 
patch, by express, from the Sheriff of Douglas County (Jones), 
informing me that his prisoner, Branson, had been rescued by an 
armed mob. This dispatch was brought by Mr. Hargis, who 
stated verbally, at the same time, that the Free State party had 
that day threatened to take Coleman (then in the custody of 
Sheriff Jones) from the sheriff, hang him, and also kill 
Jones, The sheriff's letter asked for three thousand troops, to 
protect him in the execution of the law. It was evidently writ- 
ten under a state of considerable excitement and apprehension." 

The annexed is a copy of the letter from Sheriff Jones, asking 
for three thousand troops — a good round number by the way — to 
subdue but forty Free State disorganizers. 

SHERIFF JONES TO GOVERNOR SHANNON : 

Douglas County, K. T., N~ov. 27, 1855. 

Sir: 

Last night I, with a posse of ten men, arrested one Jacob Branson 
by virtue of a peace-warrant regularly issued, who, on our return was res- 



160 THREE THOUSAND AGAINST FORTY. 

cued by a party of forty armed men, who rushed upon us suddenly from 
behind a house upon the road-side, all armed to the teeth with Sharpe's 
rifles. 

You may consider an open rebellion as having already commenced, and 
I call upon you for three thousand men to carry out the laws. Mr. Hargis 
(the bearer of the letter), will give you more particularly the circumstances. 
Most Respectfully, 

Samuel J. Jones, 

Sheriff of Douglas County. 
To His Excellency, 
Wilson Shannon, 

Governor of Kansas Territory. 

11 As these facts had reached me in an official manner, from a 
source of undoubted reliability, and were, moreover, corrobor- 
ated by much verbal testimony as well as written evidence ; 
and as these latter acts of outrage (upon the part of the 
Free State party of Lawrence) seemed but the carrying out of 
their previously declared intentions, as expressed in the incendi- 
ary resolutions passed at their public meetings, which have from 
time to time been held in different parts of this Territory, and 

of which the following may be quoted as a specimen : 

* * * * * * * * 

" Resolved, That we owe no allegiance or obedience to the tyrannical en- 
actments of this spurious legislature ; that their laws have no validity or 
binding force upon the people of Kansas, and that every freeman amongst 
us is at full liberty, consistently with all his obligations as a citizen and a 
man, to defy and resist them, if he chooses so to do. 

* * * ***** 

"Resolved, That we will endure and submit to these laws no longer than the 
best interests of the Territory require, as the least of two evils, and will resist 
them to a bloody issue so soon as we ascertain that peaceable remedies 
shall fail and forcible resistance shall furnish any reasonable prospect of 
success ; and that, in the meantime, we recommend to our friends through- 
out the Territory the organization and disciplining of volunteer companies, 
and the procurement and preparation of arms. 

* * * * * * * * 



AN UNORGANIZED MILITIA. 161 

[These resolutions are literal copies of the originals, as they 
appeared in the Herald of Freedom for September 15, 1855. 
This paper is published in Lawrence, K. T., and is one of the 
avowed organs of the Free State party in Kansas. The resolu- 
tions quoted were passed at the Free State Delegate Conven- 
tion, holden at Big Springs, K. T., on the 5th September, 1855, 
which convention also nominated Governor Reeder as a candi- 
date for Congress, and fixed upon a different day for the elec- 
tion from that prescribed by law. This nomination Governor 
Reeder accepted.] 

" I therefore deemed it incumbent upon me, as the chief execu- 
tive of Kansas Territory, to enforce the laws and protect the 
sheriff, and his prisoner Coleman, from the violence and rescue 
which had been threatened and in part carried out by this mob, 
for I firmly believed (being in possession of the facts), that the 
overt acts just committed by the Free State party were but the 
commencement of a settled plan and determination to resist and 
bid defiance to the Territorial laws, in accordance with the reso- 
lutions already quoted. 

" Under all these circumstances, I felt that I must either fur- 
nish Sheriff Jones with a sufficient posse to carry out his instruc- 
tions or be forced into the disgraceful alternative of surrender- 
ing th*e Territorial government into the hands of an armed and 
lawless mob. 

" And it may here be stated that the militia of Kansas were at 
this time (and are still) totally unorganized. The legislature 
had, it is true, elected two major generals in the Southern and 
one in the Northern division, as well as some brigadiers ; but 
so far as the rank and file are concerned, the organization was 
not even commenced. 

" With the view of furnishing the sheriff with a sufficient force 
to serve his writs, as well as to protect himself and his prisoner 
Coleman against the threatened violence of the Free State mob 



162 THE GATHERING OF THE CLAXS. 

in Lawrence, I issued orders to Major General William P. 
Richardson (then residing in Doniphan County), K. T., to col- 
lect as large a force as he could in his division, and repair with 
his men, with all practical speed, to Lecompton, where he was 
desired to place his command under the orders of Sheriff Jones. 

" This order resulted in the collection of from one to two 
hundred men. Within six days from the date of my order, 
these men were at Lecompton, where General Richardson placed 
himself and his command under the orders of the sheriff. To 
the best of my belief these men were all citizens of Kansas. 
The Southern division of the militia being wholly unorganized, I 
simply requested Brigadier General Strickler, then residing at 
Tecumseh, distant only twelve miles from Lecompton, to gather 
as many men as possible, and report himself and command in 
the same manner as General Richardson. 

" These instructions bore the same date as General Richard- 
son's order, and resulted in the collection of from fifty to one 
hundred men." , 

The following are copies of the official orders issued in this 
emergency to Generals Richardson and Strickler : 

COPY OF GOVERNOR SHANNON'S INSTRUCTIONS TO MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM 

P. RICHARDSON, COMMANDING THE MILITIA OF KANSAS TERRITORY 

CALLING OUT THE MILITIA AND DIRECTING THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY 
SHALL BE EMPLOYED. 

Head Quarters, Shawnee Mission, K. T., Nov. 27, 1855. 
Major-General William P. Richardson : 
Sir: 

Reliable information has reached me that an armed military 
force is now in Lawrence, or in that vicinity, in open rebellion against the 
laws of this Territory ; and that they have determined that no process in 
the hands of the sheriff of that county shall be executed. I have 
received a letter from S. J. Jones, the sheriff of Douglas County, inform- 
ing me that he had arrested a man under a warrant placed in his hands ; 



shannon's call to arms. 163 

» 
and while conveying him to Lecompton, he was met by an armed force 

of some forty men, who rescued the prisoner from his custody, and bid 

open defiance to the law. I am also duly informed that a band of armed 

men have burned a number of houses, destroyed personal property, and 

turned whole families out of doors. This has occurred in Douglas 

County ; warrants will be issued against these men and placed in the 

hands of Mr. Jones, the sheriff of that county, for execution ; who has 

written to me, demanding three thousand men to aid him in preserving 

the peace and carrying out the process of the law. 

You are hereby ordered to collect together as large a force as 
you can in your division, and repair without delay to Lecompton, and 
report yourself to S. J. Jones, Sheriff of Douglas County. You will 
inform him of the number of men under your control, and render him 
all the assistance in your power, should he require your aid in the execu- 
tion of any legal process in his hands. 

The forces under your command are to be used for the sole purpose of 
aiding the sheriff in executing the law, and for none other. 
I have the honor to be, 

Your obt. servt., 

Wilson Shannon. 

[Note. — This order reached Gen. Richardson, by special messenger, at 
his residence, in Doniphan County, K. T.] 

Here follow the orders to General Stricklei* : 

COPY OF GOV. SHANNON'S ORDER TO GEN. STRICKLER, CALLING UPON THAT 
OFFICER TO COLLECT MEN, AND GO TO THE ASSISTANCE OF THE SHERIFF 
OF DOUGLAS COUNTY. 

Head Quarters, Shawnee Mission, K. T., Nov. 21th, 1S55. 
Gen. H. J. Strickler : 

Sir: 

I am this moment advised by letter from S. J. Jones, sheriff of 
Douglas County, that while conveying a prisoner to Lecompton, whom he 
had arrested by virtue of a peace-warrant, he was met by a band of 
armed men, who took said prisoner forcibly out of his possession, and bid 
open defiance to the execution of law in this Territory. He has 
demanded of me three thousand men to aid him in carrying out the legal 
process in his hands. As the Southern Division of the Militia of this 
Territory is not yet organized, I can only request you to collect together 



164 shannon's army outnumbered. 

as large a force as you can, and at as early a day as practicable, and 
report yourself, with the men you may raise, to S. J. Jones, Sheriff of 
Douglas County, to whom you will give every assistance in }^our power 
towards the execution of the legal process in his hands. Whatever 
forces you may bring to his aid are to be used for the sole purpose of aid- 
ing the said sheriff in the execution of the law, and none other. 

It is expected that every good citizen will aid and assist the lawful 
authorities in the execution of the laws of the Territory and the preser- 
vation of good order. 

Your obt. servt., 

"Wilson Shannon. 
To Gen. Strickler, 

Tecumseh, Shawnee Co. 

" I presumed as a matter of course, and intended, that ail 
these men should be drawn entirely from the citizens subject to 
militia duty in Kansas Territory. At that time — as the seat 
of difficulties (Lawrence), is distant some forty miles from the 
State line of Missouri — it never for a moment occurred to me 
that the citizens of that State would cross into Kansas or 
volunteer their aid to carry out her laws. I at first presumed 
that the forces collected under the orders issued to Generals 
Richardson and Strickler would have been sufficient to have 
protected the sheriff in the performance of the duties entrusted 
to him. But upon the concentration of the forces under these 
officers at Lecompton, which gave us a total of but two hun- 
dred and fifty men, the Free State faction collected their people 
in the town of Lawrence, until their reported strength reached 
an aggregate of six hundred men, armed, as was undoubtedly 
ascertained, with Sharpe's rifles and revolvers. 

11 This would have given the Free State faction a superiority 
over the militia of three hundred and fifty men, without reckon- 
ing that which they would derive from the immense superiority 
of the repeating arms with which they were amply furnished ; 
while General Richardson's command were principally supplied 
with fowling pieces, some having pistols and bowie knives." 



WHY MISSOURI CROSSED THE BORDER. 165 



CHAPTER XYIII. 

CONTAINS A DIGRESSION. 

" I can thus account for the intense excitement which was 
generated among the Pro-Slavery men of the Missouri frontier 
by these events, and which finally resulted in their flocking to 
the aid of the upholders of Territorial law in Kansas. 

" Missouri has fifty thousand slaves in that portion of her 
territory which borders upon the frontiers of Kansas. By 
estimating the average value of each of those slaves at $600 
(a low rate), we have a total of $30,000,000. Now, should 
Kansas become a Free State it would be ruinous to the slave- 
holding interests of Missouri. Her negroes have in several 
instances, already been tampered with and run off by Abolition- 
ists ; and such acts, with the stern retaliation they are calcu- 
lated to call forth, must sooner or later result in a deadly feud 
between the Free State and Pro-Slavery factions, which, if 
Kansas becomes a non-slaveholding State, would finally be 
handed down from father to son, and thus engender feelings of 
bitter and uncompromising hate on both sides. 

" These facts are well known to every planter in Missouri. Nor 
is this all. The mere pecuniary consideration was the least 
exciting motive to move in this matter — their feelings had been 
worked upon ; they had listened to the stories of men, women 
and children, who had fled from homes in Kausas, made desolate 
by the threatened and actual violence of the Free State party. 



166 GOVERNOR SHANNON'S POLICY. 

Even granting that these stories were exaggerated by the fancy 
or indignation of their narrators, there was still enough of truth 
in their representations to excite a smouldering fire of wrath, 
which only required some new act of outrage to fan it into an 
unextinguishable flame ; and this came at length in the reports 
from the town of Lawrence. The men of Missouri heard that 
the Territorial laws were set at defiance ; that the sheriff of 
the county — a Virginian, well known and highly esteemed, and, 
moreover, a strong Pro-Slavery man — was actually threatened 
with death by an armed Abolition mob ; they heard, too (for 
when did rumor ever lose strength as it flies ?) that these out- 
laws were fortifying themselves, drilling day by day, were send- 
ing to distant States for men, were amply supplied with the 
most deadly weapons which modern skill has devised, and even 
provided with artillery. They knew, too, that this was no dis- 
turbance born of a transient excitement, and nurtured by the 
passions of an hour. On the contrary, it was understood to be 
a cold-blooded, long-foreseen, and carefully prepared-for thing. 
And what was the most natural result ? The gathering in the 
camp at Wakarusa may best answer the question. Missouri 
sent, not only her young men, but her grey-headed citizens 
were there ; the man of seventy winters stood shoulder to shoul- 
der with the youth of sixteen. There were volunteers in that 
camp who brought with them not only their sons, but their 
grandsons, to join, if need be, in the expected fray. Every hour 
added to the excitement, and brought new fuel to the flame. 
What wonder, then, that my position was an embarrassing one I 
Those men came to the Wakarusa camp to fight ; they did not 
ask peace : it was war — war to the knife. They would come ; 
it was impossible to prevent them. What, then, was my policy ? 
Certainly this : to mitigate an evil which it was impossible to 
suppress, by bringing under military control these irregular and 
excited forces. This was only to be accomplished by permitting 



A VERY IRISH GENTLEMAN. 167 

the continuance of the course which had already been adopted, 
without rny knowledge, by Generals Richardson and Strickler — 
that is, to have the volunteers incorporated as they came in 
into the already organized command. A portion of these men, 
who were mostly from Jackson County, Mo., reported them- 
selves to Sheriff Jones — by giving in a list of their names — as 
willing to serve in his posse, and he, after taking legal advice 
upon the question, decided to receive them. They were accor- 
dingly so enrolled. It was decided that he had a right to employ 
them, from the fact that as they were present in the county, the 
sheriff had a right to call upon them to aid in the preserva- 
tion of law and order within said county, even though they 
might be citizens of another State, in which case, if they chose 
to act, their services would be legal." 

ANOTHER DIGRESSION. 

Although this may seem a most unwarrantable digression 
from what should properly be the " Governor's talk " and 
not ours, we will take the liberty of mentioning a fact or two 
which have come to our knowledge from "undoubted authority," 
in relation to the very fierce party zeal that was exhibited by 
the Pro-Slavery " Border Ruffians " who joined the forces in the 
Wakarusa camp. The reader will find that they endorse Gov- 
ernor Shannon's statement as regards an extraordinary excite- 
ment to the fullest extent. 

Among those who answered to the war-signal of Strickler, or 
it may be to the cry of " Come up and help us," which perse- 
cuted Pro-Slavery — sent forth from Hickory Point settlement — 
was a very old man, a resident of one of the frontier counties 
of Missouri — who, so far as temperament went, was as Irish a 
gentleman in his " suddenness in quarrel " as ever came from 
that sweet spot for broken necks and duelling — County Galway. 
In fact there was no cooling him. Time had tried it but given 



168 THE FIRE EATERS. 

up the job in despair, for though the suows of seventy odd win- 
ters had whitened upon his head, the warm blood of five-and- 
twenty yet lingered around his heart. He was Pro-Slavery — 
withal — to the back bone. With him to hate the Abolitionists 
was to "do God service." So the old man was not only among 
the first to take the field himself, but literally carried out the 
assertion of the Governor by bringing with him not only his 
son but his grandson to join, if need be, in the expected fray. And 
it is- related of this veteran, that while enduring the hardships, 
which, owing to the severity of the season, were peculiarly 
severe, of a soldier's life in the Wakarusa camp, he one day 
exhibited his musket, an antiquated flint-lock of the condemned 
old fogy pattern— which he paraded with no little pride, at the 
same time giving vent to these very decided words : — 

" Gentelmen," said this warrior of seventy — " Gentelmen, 
this hyar old firelock war carried by my father through thar 
dark days of thar Revolution — the days that tried men's souls 
— as I heerd a chap say when he war a makin' a stump speech 
down in Arkansaw ; but I'll be (here the old man ripped out a 
very English oath, and brought down the butt of the piece 
with a crash to the ground); yes, I'll be derned, gentelmen, ef 
she war ever carried in a better cause than this.'''' 

Another " returned volunteer " yarn goes on to state that 
some of these " fire-eating " Missouri Pro-Slavery boys were 
even heard to affirm, in their very m\-friend-\j way, that they 
" didn't hear whether thar whisky gin out or not" — that they 
" had come thar for a fight, and jest allowed to stop whar they 
were, ef it should be fur a month of Sundays, but what they'd 
git one." 

Touching which, if you don't know far-western men, my 
amiable reader, we can assure you that there is a terrible signi- 
ficance in their being willing to stay where they were, " whether 
thar whisky gin out or not ;" for when a frontiersman says 



A BAD POSITION AT THE BEST. 169 

that) he means something, for under such circumstances, the main 
spring of action, whatever it may be, must " have the strength of 
forty jackasses," as, without " the corn," a Borderer — to use his 
own expression — is " no whar ;" indeed it has even been hinted by 
very old settlers that the " Old Scratch " himself couldn't keep a 
Missourian quiet, even for four-and-twenty hours, in that place 
which shall be nameless to Methodistical ears — unless he had a 
gourd full of highly rectified along with him, and mayhap a fiddle 
beside. 

What wonder then, that our new-made Governor should have 
found himself very much in the position of the unlucky Scotch- 
man in the story, who stood on a cliff, " with the Deil on one 
side and the deep sea upon the other." What a dilemma indeed was 
his, for a newly-fledged Territorial Executive. With him it was 
indeed both " save me from my friends," and " preserve me from 
my enemies." Let us explain our parallel between Governor Shan- 
non's position, and that of the bedevilled Sawney, just alluded to. 
The gubernatorial throne of Kansas may well represent the cliff, 
with this exception, perhaps, that it is hardly lofty enough to 
break even a democratic politician's neck were he to tumble from 

" His high estate." 

Then for the De'il : what apter illustration could you find than 
those Satanic Border Ruffians, whom all Lawrence count as 
children of wrath, and servants of the arch-fiend himself. And 
for a similitude to the deep sea, we point most triumphantly to 
the Free State party, who are, or say they are — which in Ameri- 
can politics comes, now-a-days, to very nearly the same thing, 
as mighty as the sea, and for all we know to the contrary, as 
deep. Were a Pro-Slavery man to carry out the idea, he would 
probably say, that as regards the loaves and fishes of office, they 
would carry out our Oceanic thought to a charm, by swallowing 
them up, as did the rock which closed on Korah, Dathan and 

8 



170 THE SHIP OF STATE. 

Abiram. Bat stay, there's something else. We must suppose 
the "Deil," in this instance, to be upsetting the gubernatorial 
throne with a pitchfork, which, on a close inspection, will be 
found to be labelled, Black Republicanism and the opinions of 
the press. What wonder, then, we repeat, that our friend Shan- 
non should find himself in a situation, which can only be expressed 
by the somewhat vulgar comparison of " a divil of a mess." 

How easy it is for us, good quiet people that we are, to chat 
over" the troubles in Kansas," in our well-furnished drawing- 
rooms after dinner, where we say, Shannon should have done 
that, and the Governor ought not to have done this ; apropos to 
which, my very self-sufficient friend, did you never observe, that 
when the journals of the day are filled with the particulars of 
some terrible disaster upon the storm-swept ocean, there are 
hundreds of warmly-housed citizens 

" Whose souls would sicken on the heaving wave," 

who sit down in their snug chambers, and speak, as they toast 
their slippered toes at an anthracite heaped grate, of the sea- 
faring man — who hoped, and struggled, and battled manfully to 
the last, until he had vainly exhausted every resource which 
experience or skill could devise, to save the gallant bark com- 
mitted to his care — as an ignoramus, a coward, and an ass — a 
stupid fellow who ought never to have had a command, coupled, 
perchance, with what they would have done, or what they think 
they would have done under like circumstances. And now, who 
shall say that these remarks are not quite as applicable to the 
unwarrantable criticisms which are so frequently passed upon 
those whose curse it is to sail that most unmanageable of all 
storm-driven craft, " the Ship of State ?" Yet does not every 
day prove, how nicely — upon paper, our good people at the North, 
many of whom never saw a log-cabin, and do but dream of 
"outside barbarians," could "take in the rags" for a Kansas 



WARLIKE PREPARATIONS. Ill 

Governor, where the wind " blows great guns" from the South, 
or put his bark under u close reefed taup-sails," when a Free State 
tempest is at hand ? But we, for one, should be mighty pleased, 
as we have but a " Union interest " in this " Ship of State," to 
see some of these bold pretenders try a " trick at the wheel," 
which, and we mistake not, would most probably " eventuate" in 
their being rolled into the lee scuppers with her first lurch to 
port. 

But let us get back, with an apology for interrupting him, 
to the Governor's history of the " Wakarusa War." 

" The Pro-Slavery forces thus collected, including the militia, 
amounted on the 1st or 2nd of December, 1855 (as it was then 
stated to me at the Shawnee Mission), to about 1,500 men, and 
it was also reported that about an equal number of Free State 
men had concentrated at Lawrence. I became satisfied that in all 
probability a deadly collision must take place, and that the only 
way to avoid that collision was to request the aid of the general 
government. I was, moreover, in the receipt of a communica- 
tion from Brigadier-General Eastin, of the Northern Brigade, 
K. M., putting me in possession of information from Lawrence, 
and recommending the employment of the United States forces 
at Fort Leavenworth." 

The following is the communication referred to from General 
Eastin. 

BRIGADIER GENERAL EASTIN's LETTER TO GOVERNOR SHANNON GIVING INFOR- 
MATION OF WARLIKE PREPARATIONS IN THE TOWN OF LAWRENCE, K. T., AND 
URGING UPON THE GOVERNOR THE NECESSITY OF CALLING OUT THE UNITED 
STATES TROOPS. 

Leavenworth, K. T., Nov. SOth, 1855. 
Governor Shannon : 

m Information has been received here direct from Lawrence, which I consi- 
der reliable, that the outlaws of Douglas County are well fortified at Lawrence 
with cannon and Sharpe's rifles, and number at least one thousand men. It 
will, therefore, be difficult to dispossess them. 



172 SHANNON TELEGRAPHS THE PRESIDENT. 

The militia in this portion of the State are entirely unorganized, and 
mostly without arms. 

I suggest the propriety of calling upon the military at Fort Leaven- 
worth. If you have the power to call out the Government troops, I think 
it would be best to do so at once. It might overawe these outlaws and 
prevent bloodshed. 

(Signed) L. J. Eastin, 

Brig. General, Northern Brigade, K. M. 

" To obtain the cooperation of the general government, I tele- 
graphed on the 1st of December from Kansas City, Missouri, to 
President Pierce, that I requested authority to call upon Colo- 
nel Sumner, commanding at Fort Leavenworth, for such mili- 
tary aid as should enable me to protect the sheriff of Douglas 
County in executing the laws, and preserving peace and good 
order in the Territory." 

[Note. — As this dispatch, with the President's reply, as also 
the Proclamation of Governor Shannon, dated on the 29th of 
November, from the executive office at Shawnee Mission, have 
already been published, until they have become as threadbare as 
Paddy O'Flaherty's Sunday coat, it is hardly worth while to 
recapitulate them here, the more so, as there is " sorrow a taste 
of divarsion " in either of them.] 

" I also dispatched a messenger to Col. Sumner, 1st Cavalry, 
U. S. A., at Fort Leavenworth, notifying him of what I had 
done, and requesting him to hold himself and command in readi- 
ness, in case the orders should be received ; to which he promptly 
replied that he would be ready to move with his men at a mo- 
ment's warning, as soon as the requisite instructions should 
come." 

Here follows a copy of Col. Sumner's letter to Governor 
Shannon in reply to the dispatch just referred to. Of the 
Governor's letter, which was dated f/om Shawnee Mission on the 
same day, no copy was retained, but its contents are embodied 
in " the statement." Col. Sumner's letter runs thus : 



COLONEL SUMNER MAKES A SUGGESTION. 173 

Head Quarters, 1st Cavalry, Fort Leavenworth, December 1st, 1855. 
Governor : 

I have just received your letter of this day. I do not feel 
that it would be right in me to act in this important matter until orders 
are received from the government. I shall be ready to move instantly 
whenever I receive them. I would respectfully suggest that you make 
your application for aid to the government extensively known at once, 
and I would countermand any orders that may have been given for the 
movement of the militia until you receive the answer. I write this in 
haste. 

With much respect, your obdt. servt., 
(Signed) E. V. Sumner, 

Col. First Cavalry. 
His Excellency, 

Governor Shannon. 

INote. — This letter was received by Governor Shannon on the 
2d of December, at Shawnee Mission. The Governor immedi- 
ately adopted the suggestions contained therein, and accordingly 
addressed letters to General Richardson and Sheriff Jones, 
which are annexed as follows, together with Sheriff Jones's reply, 
and a communication from General Richardson to the Governor, 
asking permission to demand a surrender of the arms then in 
possession of the Free State party in Lawrence. 

Copy of instructions from Governor Shannon to General Richardson com- 
manding the Territorial militia to carry out the suggestions contained in 
Colonel Sumner's letter of the 1st : 

GOVERNOR SHANNON TO GENERAL RICHARDSON. 

Executive Office, Shawnee Mission, K. T., December 2d, 1855. 
My Dear Sir : 

I have written a letter to Sheriff Jones, informing him of 
what I have done, and putting him in possession of the fact that I am in 
constant expectation of receiving authority from Washington to call out 
the regular troops at Fort Leavenworth. I have notified Colonel Sumner 
of this, and am in receipt of his reply, assuring me that he will be ready at 



174. SHANNON ADOPTS THE SUGGESTION. 

any moment to move with the whole force at his command, so soon as the 
orders are received from the General Government. These orders are con- 
fidently expected in a day or two. I am desirous to employ the United 
States forces, as it would have a most salutary effect upon these lawless 
men hereafter ; for when they find that the regular troops can be used to 
preserve the peace and execute the law in this Territory, they will not be 
so ready to place themselves in a hostile attitude. In the meanwhile you 
will remain with Sheriff Jones, and retain a sufficient force with you to 
protect that officer, and secure the safety of his prisoner ; the remainder 
of your men will be kept at a distance, but be held in readiness to give 
their services whenever they may be required to act. You will be careful 
in preserving order, and in restraining your people from any illegal act. 
Let everything that is done, be for the preservation of law and order. Your 
duties are to protect the Sheriff, and enable him to serve the legal process 
in his hands; when these objects are accomplished, your command will 
retire. 

I shall accompany Colonel Sumner with the United States forces, when 
they move. 

Yours, with great respect, 

Wilson Shannon. 
Major General Richardson, 
Camp at Lecompton. 

[Note. — This letter was forwarded by express, together with the com- 
munication to Sheriff Jones.] 

Copy of instructions from Governor Shannon to the Sheriff of Douglas 
County — Samuel J. Jones — to carry out the suggestions contained hi Col- 
onel Sumner's letter of the 1st : 

GOVERNOR SHANNON TO SHERIFF JONES. 

Executive Office, Shawnee Mission, K T., December 2d, 1S55. 
SiR: 

I am in receipt of Colonel Sumner's reply to my dispatch, in which he 
informs me that he will be ready at a moment's warning to move with his 
whole force, if desired, on the arrival of his orders from Washington. My 
telegraphic dispatch to the President must have reached its destination by 
this time, and an answer should soon come to hand. I have no doubt but 
that the authority which I have requested — to call upon the United States 



INSTRUCTIONS TO SHERIFF JONES. 115 

troops — will be granted. Under these circumstances, you will wait until I 
can obtain the desired orders before attempting to execute your writs. 
This will save any effusion of blood, and may have a moral influence here- 
after, which would prevent any farther resistance to the law ; for when 
these lawless men find that the forces of the United States can be used to 
preserve order, they will not be so ready to adopt an opposing course. 
And if necessary, steps will be taken to station an adequate force in the 
disturbed district to protect the people against mob violence, and to secure 
the fulfillment of the laws. 

You will retain a sufficient force to protect yourself and guard your 
prisoner ; anything beyond this had better remain at a distance, until it 
can be ascertained whether their aid will or will not be needed. The 
known deficiency in arms, and all the accoutrements of war which must 
necessarily characterize the law-abiding citizens, who have rushed to your 
assistance in the maintenance of order, will invite resistance from your 
opponents, who are well supplied with arms ; it would be wrong, therefore, 
to place your men in a position where their lives would be endangered, 
when we shall in all probability have an ample force from Fort Leaven- 
worth in a few days. 

Show this letter to Major-General Richardson, and also to General 
Eastin, who, as I am advised, have gone to your aid. Their destination 
is Lecompton, but they will join you wherever you are. Their forces are 
but small, and may be required for your protection until advices are 
received from "Washington. 

I send you, with this, a communication to General Richardson, which 
you will please deliver to him at as early a day as practicable. As I refer 
him to this my letter to you, for my views, you will permit him to read it. 
Let me know what number of warrants you have, and the names of the 
defendants. I shall probably accompany Col. Sumner's command, 

Yours, with great respect, 

Wilson Shannon. 
Sheriff Jones, Lecompton. 

sheriff jones's reply. 

Camp, at "Wakarusa, Dec. 4lh, 1855. 
His Excellency, Governor Wilson Shannon : 
Sir: 

In reply to your communication of yesterday I have to inform 
you that the volunteer forces, now at this place and at Lecompton, are 



176 RICHARDSON AND JOJfES. 

getting weary of inaction. They will not, I presume, remain but a very 
short time longer, unless a demand for the prisoner is made. I think I 
shall have a sufficient force to protect me by to-morrow morniug. The 
force at Lawrence is not half so strong as reported ; I have this from a 
reliable source. If I am to wait for the Government troops, more than 
two-thirds of the men now here will go away, very much dissatisfied. They 
are leaving hourly as it is. I do not, by any means, wish to violate your 
orders, but I really believe that if I have a sufficient force, it would be 
better to make the demand. 

It is reported that the people of Lawrence have run off those offenders 
from that town, and, indeed, it is said that they are now all out of the 
way. I have writs for sixteen persons, who were with the party that res- 
cued my prisoner. S. N. Wood, P. R. Brooks, and Saml. Tappan are of 
Lawrence, the balance from the country round. Warrants will be placed 
in my hands to-day for the arrest of G. W. Brown, and probably others in 
Lecompton. They say that they are willing to obey the laws, but no con- 
fidence can be placed in any statements they may make. 

No evidence sufficient to cause a warrant to issue has as yet been 
brought against those lawless men who fired the houses. 

I would give you the names of the defendants, but the writs are in my 
office at Lecompton. Most respectfully yours, 

Saml. J. Jones, 
Sheriff' of Douglas Co. 

The following is a copy of a letter from Major-General 
Richardson to Governor Shannon, in which the General requests 
permission to demand the surrender of the Free State people's 
arms. 

GENERAL RICHARDSON TO GOVERNOR SHANNON. 

Lecompton, K. T., Dec. Sd, 1855, 12 o'clock, P. M. 
His Excellency, Governor Wilson Shannon : 
Dear Sir: 

I believe it to be essential to the peace and tranquillity of 
the Territory that the outlaws at Lawrence and elsewhere should be 
required to surrender their Sharpe's rifles. There can be no security for 
the future safety of the lives and property of law-abiding citizens unless 



THE PRESIDENT PROMISES AID. Vtl 

these unprincipled men are (at least) deprived of the arms, which, as we 
all know, have been furnished them for the purpose of resisting the law — 
in fact, peaceable citizens will be obliged to leave the Territory, unless 
those who are now threatening them are compelled to surrender their 
rifles, and artillery, if they have any. 

I do not, however, feel authorized from the instructions which you have 
given me, to make this demand. Should you concur with me in my 
opinion, please let me know by express at once. 

A fresh rider had better be sent up in lieu of the bearer of this, as he 
will be fatigued. I am diligently using every possible precaution to pre- 
vent the effusion of blood and preserve the peace of the Territory. As 
the Sharpe's rifles may be regarded as private property by some, I can 
give a receipt for them, stating that they will be returned to their owners 
at the discretion of the Governor. 

Very respectfully your obdt. servt., 

William P. Richardson, 
Major-General, commanding Kansas Territorial Militia. 

" On the 4th of December, the telegraph lines being down 
between Lexington and Jefferson City, Missouri (my dispatch 
being therefore sent by special messenger during the interval), 
I received a reply, dated December 3d, from the President, 
stating that the Executive would use all the power at his 
command to preserve order in the Territory, and to enforce the 
execution of the laws, and as soon as the proper orders could 
be made out at the War Department, they would be transmit- 
ted. I immediately forwarded a copy of the President's tele- 
graphic dispatch to Col. Sumner, requesting him to march (on 
the strength of that dispatch), with his men to the Delaware 
crossing of the Kansas — twelve miles above its mouth, at which 
post I would meet and accompany his command to the scene 
of difficulty. 

" Col. Sumner replied that he would do so, as it was a case of 
extreme emergency. (I had written him that time was every- 
thing, as things were rapidly coming to a crisis.)" 

Here follows a copy of Col. Sumner's reply : 

8* 



H8 A CRISIS IS AT HAND. 

COL. SUMNER TO GOVERNOR SHANNON. 

Head Quarters First Cavalry, Dec. 5th, 1S55, 1 o'clock, A. M. 
Governor : 

I have just received your letter of yesterday, with the tele- 
graphic despatch from the President. I will march with my regiment in a 
few hours, and will meet you at the Delaware crossing of the Kansas this 
evening. With high respect, your obedient servant, 

(Signed) E. V. Sumner, 

Col. First Cavalry. 
His Excellency, 

Wilson Shannon. 

[Note.— This letter was received by the Governor, at Shawnee Mission, 
early on the morning of the 6th.] 

"About this time a committee waited upon me from Law- 
rence, of Free State men — claiming to represent the citizens 
of that town (Messrs. Lowry and Babcock). They stated 
that the people of Lawrence were surrounded by a body of 
armed men, who were threatening to demolish their town, and 
requested me to exercise my authority to preserve peace and 
save their city. They produced a letter signed by the leading 
men of Lawrence." 

The following, although the date of its receipt is not given, 
must have reached Governor Shannon about this time : 

Camp on Wakarusa, Dec. 4, 1855. 
Sir: 

Inclosed is a dispatch from Gen. Richardson. I have the honor 
to inform you that I was in Lawrence yesterday, and found two hundred 
and fifty men under arms, and about six hundred men in the town willing 
to bear arms against the officers. In camp Wakarusa there are now about 
two hundred and fifty men under my command. 

Yours respectfully, 

H. J. Strickler, 

Com. S. Division. 
Gov. Shannon. 



THE CRISIS GETS NEARER. 1?9 

11 Finding that affairs in Lawrence and its vicinity were fast 
coming to a crisis, I determined to repair there imme- 
diately, in person. 

" I accordingly addressed a communication to Colonel Sumner, 
apologizing to him for i»ot meeting him at the Delaware cross- 
ing, as I had promised, and addiDg that as I was going to push 
on. ahead, I hoped he would follow with his command, as rapidly 
as possible. It was my desire to have had the Colonel's men 
stationed in Lawrence, for I knew, if it could be effected, it 
would prevent an attack. On the night previous to my leaving 
for Lawrence, I sent a special messenger, with three separate 
dispatches, to Generals Richardson and Strickler, and to 
Sheriff Jones, to prevent an attack or disorder of any kind." 



180 SHANNON IS OFF TO THE WAR. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

THE GOVERNOR CONTINUES HIS NARRATIVE. 

" At half past three o'clock, p. m., on the 5th of December, I 
left Shawnee Mission, went to Westport, Mo. (distant some 
two and a half miles from the Mission), and requested Col. 
Boone — a grandson of Col. Boone of frontier memory, and the 
Postmaster at Westport — to accompany me to Lawrence, and, 
as his acquaintance with the leading Pro-Slavery men who were 
then in the camp near Lawrence was extensive, give me the 
benefit of his influence in keeping down an excitement and pre- 
venting any rash act upon the part of the troops then threat- 
ening that town. This he instantly agreed to do, and I owe 
much to his valuable assistance in restraining the volunteers. 
We journeyed in company to the scene of action. Shortly 
after leaving Westport we met a dispatch from Colonel Sum- 
ner, First Cavalry, stating that upon reflection he had con- 
cluded not to march with his command until his orders from the 
War Department had been received. 

Here follows a copy of Col. Sumner's dispatch, written upon 
"maturer reflection :" 

COLONEL SUMNER TO GOVERNOR SHANNON. 

Head Quarteks First Cavalry, Fort Leavensworth, 
Dec. oth, 1S55. 
Governor : 

On more mature reflection I think it will not be proper for me 
to move before I receive the orders of the Government. I shall be all 



SHANNON IN THE CAMP. 181 

ready whenever I get them. This decision will not delay our reaching 
the scene of the difficulties, for I can move from this place to Lawrence 
as quickly (or nearly so) as I could from the Delaware crossing, and we 
could not, of course, go beyond that place without definite orders. 
With high respect, your obedient servant, 

E. Y. Sumner, 

Colonel First Cavalry. 
His Excellency, 

Wilson Shannon. 

" We then proceeded as rapidly as possible to the Wakarusa 
camp (within six miles of Lawrence), which was occupied by 
that portion of the Pro-Slavery forces under the command of 
General Strickler, and reached it about three o'clock a. m. on 
the 6th. 

Early on the morning of the 6th, I sent a request to Major 
General Richardson to meet me at the Wakarusa camp, and 
bring with him the leading men of the Lecompton camp. One 
of the objects in dividing the Pro-Slavery forces into the two 
camps of Lecompton and Wakarusa, distant from each other by 
eighteen miles, was to prevent those men in Lawrence against 
whom the sheriff had writs, from escaping, another was to take 
advantage of the very favorable camping ground afforded by 
the Wakarusa bottom, as its facilities for obtaining fuel, water, 
and sheltering timber, rendered it a desirable location for the 
troops. 

About 3 p. m., General Richardson, with a number of the 
most prominent men from the Lecompton camp, arrived at my 
quarters (which I had established at an Indian house on the 
east side of the Wakarusa, and about a quarter of a mile from 
the Wakarusa camp). I had been engaged during the day 
up to the very moment of Gen. Richardson's arrival, in con- 
ference with the leading men of the Wakarusa camp, with the 
view of ascertaining their feelings and intentions, and if possible 
prevailing upon them to co-operate with me in carrying out my 



182 SHANNON HAS TWO OBJECTS. 

views. For myself, I had two leading objects, which I had 
determined to use every exertion to accomplish : — One, to pre- 
vent the effusion of blood ; the other, to vindicate the supremacy 
of the laws. I found in the Wakarusa camp a strong disposition 
which appeared to be almost universal, to attack Lawrence. 

For the purpose of furthering the objects I had in view, I 
invited between thirty and forty of their leading men from the 
two camps to meet me on the night of the 6th, at my quarters, 
with the intention of explaining to them my desires and purposes 
and inviting a similar confidence on their part in return. 

They convened at my quarters, accordingly, at eight o'clock 
p. m., when I addressed them at length, defining the position 
which I intended to occupy and the ends which I hoped to gain, 
and finally begged them to explain freely, their wishes and 
expectations as to the settlement of the existing difficulties. I 
soon discovered that there was but one person present who fully 
approved of the course which I desired to pursue. The others 
wished to go further ; some would hear of nothing less than the 
destruction of Lawrence and its fortifications, the demolition of 
its printing presses, and the unconditional surrender of the arms 
of the citizens ; others, more moderate, expressed a willingness 
to be satisfied, if the Free State party would give up their 
Sharpe's rifles and revolvers. Under these unfavorable circum- 
stances the conference broke up at midnight, having accom- 
plished nothing beyond the interchange of opinions on either 
side. Before its adjournment, however, I informed them that I 
would enter Lawrence upon the ensuing day (the 7th), and as- 
certain what arrangements the Free Sate party were willing to 
make, and what terms they would accede to. On the part of 
the Pro-Slavery men there seemed to be so fixed a purpose to 
assault the town that I almost despaired of preventing it, unless 
I could obtain the services of the United States troops at Fort 
Leavenworth. With the intention of communicating my wishes 



shannon's army will not be restrained. 183 

to Col. Simmer, the commandant of that post, I made arrange- 
ments with Gen. S trickier, commanding in the Wakarusa camp, 
to furnish me with an express rider at daybreak, to start imme- 
diately for Fort Leavenworth. I at once wrote a pressing 
letter to Col. Sumner of which the following is a copy : 

GOVERNOR SHANNON TO COLONEL SUMNER. 

Wakarusa, December, Uh, 1855. 
Col. Sumner, 1st Cavalry, U. S. A. : 

Sir: 

I send you this special dispatch to ask you to come to Lawrence as soon 
as you possibly can. My object is to secure the citizens of that place, as 
well as all others, from a warfare which, if once commenced, there is no 
telling where it will end. I doubt not that you have received orders from 
"Washington, but if you have not, the absolute pressure of this crisis is 
such as to justify you with the President, and the world, in moving with 
your force to the scene of difficulties. 

It is hard to restrain the men here {they are beyond my power, or at least 
soon loill be), from making an attack upon Lawrence, which, if once made, 
there is no telling where it may terminate. The presence of a portion of 
the United States troops at Lawrence would prevent an attack — save 
bloodshed — and enable us to get matters arranged in a satisfactory way, 
and at the same time secure the execution of the laws. It is peace, not 
war, that we want, and you have the power to secure peace. Time is pre- 
cious — fear not but that you will be sustained. 

With great repect, 

Wilson Shannon. 

N. B. — Be pleased to send me a dispatch. 

COL. sumner's reply. 

Head- quarters First Cavalry, Fort Leavenworth, Dec. 7, 1855. 
Governor : 

I have received your two letters of the 5th and 6th inst. I 
regret extremely to disappoint you, but the more I reflect on it the more 
I am convinced that I ought not to interpose my command between the 
two hostile parties in this territory until 1 receive orders from the Govern- 
ment. We know that the whole matter is now in the hands of the Execu- 



184 SHANNON OUTWITS HIS MEN. 

live, and it is an affair of too much importance for any one to anticipate 
the action of the Government. I am momentarily expecting to receive 
orders, and whenever they come I shall move instantly, by night or by day. 
If you find those people bent on attacking the town, I would respectfully 
suggest that they might be induced to pause for a time on being told that 
the orders of the General Government were expected every moment, and 
that there was no doubt but that these orders, framed from an enlarged 
view of the whole difficulty, would give general satisfaction, and settle the 
matter honorably for both parties. 

I am, Governor, with much respect, your obedient servant, 

E. V. Sumner, 
Colonel 1st Cavalry, Commanding. 
His Excellency Wilson Shannon, 
Governor of Kansas. 

" At 2, p. m., 7th December, Gen. Stricklercame to my quar- 
ters, and informed me that he had been advised that a plan had 
been laid in the Wakarusa camp to intercept my dispatches to 
Col. Sumner at Caw River crossing. To avoid this, I requested 
the General to start the messenger immediately. He did so ; 
and the express rider finally left at 2 o'clock, a. m., and was 
directed to a ford upon Caw River (not the usual crossing), by 
an Indian guide from the Caw bottom, who had been procured for 
the purpose by Col. Boone. To his letter I received no reply 
until after my return to the executive office at Shawnee Mission, 
when an answer reached me on the 11th of December. 

" The object of the Pro-Slavery men in attempting to intercept 
the dispatches, was to prevent, if possible, the arrival of the 
United States troops, who, they feared, would restrain them from 
attacking Lawrence. By gaining time, they expected to make 
the assault before any force could be brought to mediate between 
the conflicting parties." 

Note : The following letter from Mr. J. C. Anderson, may 
very properly be introduced here, as an evidence of the highly 
excited state of feeling then existing in the Pro-Slavery camp, 



THE BLACK FLAG. 185 

to which Governor Shannon refers, when — in his communication 
to Col. Sumner — he speaks of these people as being beyond his 
control. Mr. Anderson's letter is addressed to Major General 
Richardson, the commander of the Pro-Slavery forces. The 
writer is a member of the Kansas Legislature, and resides at 
Fort Scott — is strongly Pro-Slavery in his politics, and though 
quite young, took a leading part in the so-called " Bogus Legis- 
lature ;" he is said, moreover, to be a person of considerable 
ability. 

J. C. ANDERSON TO GENERAL RICIIARDSON. 

[No date. Governor Shannon's secretary suggests that they were so 
busily engaged in the Wakarusa camp, at the period when this epistle was 
penned, in trying to get a chance at Eternity, that they lost all track of 
time.] 

Major General William P. Richardson : 
Sir: 

I have reason to believe from rumors in camp that before to- 
morrow morning the black flag* will be hoisted, when nine out of ten will 
rally round it, and march without orders upon Lawrence. The forces at 
the Lecompton camp fully understand the plot, and Avill fight under the 
same banner. 

If Governor Shannon will pledge himself not to allow any United States 
officer to interfere with the arms belonging to the United States now 
in their possession,! and, in case there is no battle, order the United States 
forces off at once, and retain the militia, provided any force is retained — 
all will be well, and all will obey to the end, and commit no depredation 
upon private property in Lawrence. 

I fear a collision between the United States soldiers, and the volunteers, 
which would be dreadful. 

Speedy measures should be taken. Let the men know at once — to-night 

* The "black flag" was to be the signal for action, in case the more incendiary portion 
of the Pro-Slavery forces should determine to take the punishment of the Free State party 
into their own hands. 

t Most probably referring to certain United States arms (it is said muskets), which some 
of the Clay County (Mo.) Volunteers are reported to have taken from the arsenal in that 
vicinity. 



186 SHANNON ENTERS LAWRENCE. 

— and I fear that it will even then be too late to stay the rashness of our 
people. 

Respectfully your obedt. servt., 

J. C. Anderson. 

"On the morning of the 7th I repaired to the town of Law- 
rence, having on the evening of the 6th been invited, by a com- 
mittee representing the citizens of that town, to visit their place, 
for the purpose of arranging, if possible, the difficulties which 
then threatened them. On my road to Franklin, which lies 
midway upon the route, I was met by a committee of ten citi- 
zens of Lawrence, who escorted me into their town, where I was 
courteously received. I was conducted to an upper chamber in 
the Emigrant Aid Society's Hotel, and had a long interview 
with Generals Charles Robinson and James H. Lane, the com- 
manders of the Free-State forces, who were appointed on the 
part of the Lawrence people to confer with me in relation to 
the then existing difficulties. They seemed to feel no hesitation 
in assuring me that the territorial laws should be executed, and 
that there should be no obstacle presented to the serving of any 
legal process ; they, however, as representatives of the citizens 
of Lawrence, reserved to themselves the right of testing the 
validity of these laws in the Supreme Court of the United 
States. They both claimed that the majority of the citizens of 
Lawrence and its vicinity had never taken any other ground. I 
did not — although well aware of the incendiary nature of the 
resolutions which had been repeatedly passed at the various 
meetings of their party — consider it necessary at the time to 
enter into any controversy with them in relation to their pre- 
vious position as regarded the execution of the territorial laws 
— though they had repeatedly declared those laws null and of no 
effect, and avowed their determination to "resist them to a bloody 
issue.' I felt it to be my duty to accept their present declaration 
as an apology for the past, and an assurance (hollow though it 



MOMENTS ARE HOURS. 18 1 

might be) of improvement for the future. While I was deter- 
mined, by every means in my power, and even if necessary by 
an appeal to arms, to exact obedience to the law, I felt urged 
by every dictate of humanity to prevent a collision which would 
inevitably have resulted in the utter destruction, of Lawrence 
and its inhabitants. This was, indeed, no time to revive past 
offences, for I felt fully convinced that so far as Lawrence and 
its inhabitants were concerned, ' moments were hours. 1 

11 1 satisfied myself, however, that there was then no person in 
the town against whom writs had been caused to issue, as the 
parties had left the place several days before. I then, moved by 
the consideration of the fearful danger in which their people stood, 
stated to them that so far as I was concerned, as the chief exe- 
cutive of the Territory, the arrangements which they appeared 
willing to enter into in good faith would be satisfactory to me ; 
that my sole purpose was to secure a faithful execution of the 
laws ; that I asked nothing more, and that object obtained, I 
should at once disband the posse. At the same time I explained 
to them the difficulty of prevailing upon the highly-incensed 
forces then surrounding Lawrence to retire without attacking 
the place or demanding the surrender of the Sharpe's rifles and 
revolvers, with which they were well known to be armed. I 
added, moreover, that the idea was universally prevalent, both 
in the Lecompton and Wakarusa camps, that these weapons had 
been furnished from the East for the purpose of resisting the 
execution of the Territorial laws of Kansas, and making her a 
free State. The committee declared that these weapons had 
neither been procured nor distributed for any such end, but 
simply to defend the ballot-box from invasion. Yet it cannot be 
denied that they admitted to me that these arms were forwarded 
in boxes from the East, having been written for by General 
Robinson for the purpose aforesaid. It was also claimed by 
General Robinson that these arms were now the property of 



188 THE BESEIGED WON'T SURRENDER. 

individuals, as they had been distributed to, and a certain 
amount of moneys paid for them by the persons in whose 
hands they then were ; that is to say, each man who received 
a Sharpe's rifle paid something as an equivalent ; but, from 
what has transpired, it is my belief that the amount so paid 
bore no proportion to the real cost or value of the arms ; in 
fact, it is currently reported that the sum paid for these Sharpe's 
rifles by their receivers did not average over three dollars per 
man. It is computed that there are now in this Territory 1,200 
Sharpe's rifles, which have been brought into it for the purpose 
of arming the Free State faction. The cost of these arms, cal- 
culating them at $30 each, would give a total of $36,000. 
Hsow, supposing that this rumor be true, that each of these 
deadly weapons bring but $3 in Kansas, or a total for the 1,200 
of but $3,600— who, let me ask, loses the difference of $32,400? 
And it will be perceived that this calculation makes no allowance 
for the expenses of transportation from the East. 

" As I found that to insist upon the Free State troops in Law- 
rence giving up their arms, or to make it a sine qua non in our 
arrangement, would inevitably lead to a conflict, which as I have 
before stated, I most earnestly desired to avoid, I therefore 
merely suggested to the committee that they should surrender 
their arms to Major General Richardson, and I would direct 
that officer to receipt for the weapons so received ; it being 
understood that in the event of their so doing, the arms thus 
receipted for, should be restored, when, in the opinion of the chief 
executive, it could be done with propriety ; or, if they preferred 
it, they might, in the same manner, surrender them to me. I 
had hoped that this arrangement could have been effected, as it 
would have enabled me to induce the forces then threatening 
Lawrence to withdraw without committing any acts of violence. 
This proposition was positively declined. The committee quali- 
fied their refusal, however, by stating, on the part of the citizens 



SHANNON AS A PEACE-MAKER. 189 

of Lawrence, that if at any time I would make a requisition in 
writing, stating that those arms were required for the purpose 
of preserving peace and good order, they would use their influ- 
ence to comply with that requisition. I then closed the inter- 
view, being satisfied that they would not deliver up their arms 
without a fight. I returned to the Wakarusa camp, which 1 
reached about half-past 10 o'clock, p. m. I immediately sought 
an interview with the most influential men of that camp, stated 
to them the result of my visit to Lawrence, and reported what 
the citizens of that town would, and would not, do in the matters 
under consideration. To a large majority of the Wakarusa 
camp the concessions made by the Lawrence people were wholly 
unsatisfactory, but a number of the leading men, although dis- 
satisfied with the terms offered, agreed to use their influence 
with their companions to induce their immediate and peaceable 
withdrawal. 

" At 1 a. m., Dec. 1, I learned fram a reliable source that a 
plan was on foot to raise the " black flag,' 7 with the view of 
throwing off the authority of the Territorial executive and its 
officers and attacking Lawrence upon their own responsibility. 
I renewed my endeavors for peace, and with the leading men 
did all in my power to dissuade these hot-headed people from so 
unauthorized a movement." 

Note. — The following orders were issued by Governor Shannon 
upon the 8th of December, to Generals Richardson and Strickler, 
to prevent any unauthorized attack from being made by the Pro- 
Slavery volunteers upon Lawrence, during the negotiations which 
were then pending between the leaders of the opposing parties : 



190 ORDERS FROM HEAD QUARTERS. 

GOVERNOR SHANNON TO GENERAL RICHARDSON. 

Wakarusa, December Sth, 1855. 
Major General Richardson : 
Sir: 

You will repress all movements of a disorderly character, and 
take no steps except by order from me. If any unauthorized demonstra- 
tion should be made upon Lawrence, you will immediately use your whole 
force to check it, as in the present state of negotiations an attack upon 
Lawrence would be wholly unjustifiable. 

Your obdt. servant, 

Wilson Shannon. 

governor shannon to general strickler. 

Wakarusa, December Sth, 1855. 
General Strickler: 
Sir: 

You will repress any movements of a disorderly character. No 
attack must be permitted upon the town of Lawrence in the present state of 
things, as with the concessions they have made, and are willing to make 
to the supremacy of the law, such an attack would be wholly unjustifiable. 

Your obdt. servant, 

Wilson Shannon. 



THINGS LOOK BADLY. 191 



CHAPTER XX. 

GOVERNOR'S NARRATIVE CONTINUED THE TREATY. 

" On the morning of the 8th of December things looked still 
worse. I was advised by a prominent man that unless the citi- 
zens of Lawrence gave up their arms, the place would be 
attacked, and I had better consult my own safety and keep out of 
danger. My reply was, that I should consider any such attack, 
after the declarations which had been made by the people of 
Lawrence, as wholly unjustifiable, and that I should use every 
means in my power to prevent it. This I at once made prepara- 
tions to do. Early in the morning I left my quarters and 
repaired to the Wakarusa camp, and again sought out some 
prominent individuals and secured their assistance. Upon con- 
sultation with these gentlemen, one of the most distinguished, 
proposed to select a committee of thirteen captains, to meet at 
Franklin a committee from the Lawrence camp, with the view 
of frankly interchanging opinions, and if possible, coming to 
some amicable settlement of our difficulties, which were now 
becoming hourly more complicated. I immediately approved 
the suggestion, and prepared myself without delay to visit Law- 
rence, where I hoped to procure the appointment of a similar 
committee on their part, and bring them out to Franklin, which 
had been selected as a proper place for the negotiation. While on 
my way to Lawrence I halted at Franklin for a short time, and 
while there the committee of thirteen captains arrived, and at my 



192 EVERYBODY SATISFIED AND NOBODY PLEASED. 

request promised to remain there until I could return with the 
representation from Lawrence. When I entered that town I 
found that the people had held a meetiog the night before, and 
had reduced to writing the terms on which they proposed to 
treat. 

" These written stipulations were, so far as their promise to ex- 
ecute the laws was concerned, identical with those verbally- 
agreed upon the day before. But there were other matters 
which entered into this document, distasteful both in their sub- 
ject-matter and phraseology. These I caused to be struck out. 
The remodelling and correction of this paper delayed us until 
four, p.m., when Generals Robinson and Lane repaired with me, 
as a committee authorized to act for the Lawrence people, to 
Franklin, where we procured a room and organized the commit- 
tees for business. I then addressed the committees, stating 
to them the two great objects which I so earnestly desired to 
accomplish, informing them of what had been done, and urging 
upon them, in the strongest terms, the importance of acquiescing 
in the arrangement which I had made, by inducing their men to 
retire quietly. After closing my remarks, General Lane ad- 
dressed the committees. He was followed by Colonel Woodson, 
of Independence, and by General Robinson. 

" After a conference of three hours, during which opinions were 
freely interchanged on both sides, the committees concluded to 
withdraw and report to the men of both parties that they were 
satisfied, and would settle matters as I wished. We then re- 
turned to the Wakarusa camp, which we reached at ten, p. m., 
where I still continued to press upon the leading men the im- 
portance of withdrawing with their men, and acceding to the 
terms offered." 



SHANXOX CONCLUDES A TREATY. 193 



THE TREATY. 

The following is an accurate copy of the treaty stipulations, 
entered into between His Excellency, Wilson Shannon, Gover- 
nor of Kansas Territory, and Generals Robinson and Lane, the 
Commanders-in-chief of the " enrolled forces/' in the city of Law- 
rence. 

Whereas, there is a misunderstanding between the people of Kansas, or 
a portion of them, and the Governor thereof, arising out of the rescue at 
Hickory Point of a citizen under arrest, and other matters. And whereas, 
a strong apprehension exists that said misunderstanding may lead to civil 
strife and bloodshed ; and whereas, as it is desired by both Governor Shan- 
non and the citizens of Lawrence and its vicinity, to avoid a calamity so 
disastrous to the interests of the Territory and the Union ; and to place all 
parties in a correct position before the world. Now, therefore it is agreed 
by the said Governor Shannon and the undersigned citizens of the said 
Territory, in Lawrence now assembled, that the matter is settled as follows, 
to wit : 

We, the said citizens of said Territory, protest that the said rescue was 
made without our knowledge or consent, but that if any of our citizens in 
said Territory were engaged in said rescue, we pledge ourselves to aid in 
the execution of any legal process against them ; that toe have no knowledge 
of the previous, present, or prospective existence of any organization in the 
said Territory, for the resistance of the laws ; and we have not designed 
and do not design to resist the execution of any legal service of any crimi- 
nal process therein, but pledge ourselves to aid in the execution of the 
laws, when called upon by the proper authority, in the town and vicinity of 
Lawrence, and that we will use our influence in preserving order therein, 
and declare that we are now, as we have ever been, ready to aid the Gov- 
ernor in securing a posse for the execution of such process ; provided, that 
any person thus arrested in Lawrence or its vicinity, while a foreign foe 
shall remain in the Territory, shall be only examined before a United 
States District Judge of said Territory, in said town, and admitted to bail, 
and provided further, that all citizens arrested without legal process, shall 
be set at liberty ; and provided further, that Governor Shannon agrees to 
use his influence to secure to the citizens of Kansas Territory remuneration 

9 



194 SHANNON DISBANDS HIS ARMY. 

for any damage suffered in any unlawful depredations, if any such have 
been committed by the Sheriff's posse in Douglas County. And further 
Governor Shannon states, that he has not called upon persons, residents 
of any other States to aid in the execution of the laws ; that such as are 
here are here of their own choice, and that he does not consider that he 
has any authority to do so, and that he will not call upon any citizens of 
any other State who may be here. 

We wish it understood, that we do not herein express any opinion as to 
the validity of the enactments of the Territorial Legislature. 

Wilson Shannon, 
(Signed,) Charles Robinson, 

J. H. Lane. 
Done in Lawrence, K. T. December Sth, 1855. 

" It was not, however, until daybreak on the 9th, that I felt 
safe in issuing my orders as Chief Executive of Kansas Terri- 
tory, to Sheriff Jones, and Generals Richardson and Strickler, 
to disband their forces. I did so ; my instructions were complied 
with, and the forces assembled in camps Lecompton and Waka- 
rusa retired without committing any depredation or act of vio- 
lence, so far as I have heard." 

And here it will become our duty to finish our summing up, 
or, to speak more correctly, Governor Shannon's summing up, of 
the Pro-Slavery argument in re Kansas and her war, by adding 
the last link to 

" This strange eventful history," 

in the shape of a copy of His Excellency's official orders to Ma- 
jor General Richardson, and others, disbanding the militia and 
sheriff's posse, or, in other words, giving the Border Ruffians, 
then and there assembled, a full and free permission to take up 
their nunc dimiltis, with, we fancy, more than one inward prayer 
on the part of the care-worn Executive, that they might keep 
in mind as they went, the farewell caution of Bombastes Furioso, 
who dismissed his followers with 

"Befone, brave army — don't kick up a row." 



EXEUNT OMNES. 195 

But in all sober earnest here follow the orders : — 

Camp Wakarusa, Dec. 8th, 1855. 
Sir: 

Being fully satisfied that there will be no further resistance to the 
execution of the laws of this Territory, or to the service of any legal pro- 
cess in the county of Douglas, you are hereby ordered to cross the Kansas 
River to the north side as near Lecompton as you may find it practicable 
with your command, and disband the same at such time and place, and in 
such numbers as you may deem most convenient. 

Yours, with great respect, 

Wilson Shannon. 
Major Gen. Richardson. 

Kansas Territory, Camp Wakarusa, Dec. 8th, 1855. 
Sir: 

Being fully satisfied that there will be no further resistance to the 
execution of the laws of this Territory, or to the service of any legal pro- 
cess in the county of Douglas, you are hereby ordered to disband your 
command at such time and place as you may deem most convenient. 

Yours, with great respect. 

Wilson Shannon. 
General Strickler. 

Kansas Territory, Camp Wakarusa, Dec. 8th, 1855. 
Having made satisfactory arrangements by which all legal process in 
your hands, either now or hereafter, may be served without the aid of your 
present jwsse, you are hereby required to disband the same. 

Yours, with great respect, 

Wilson Shannon. 
S. J. Jones, Sheriff of Douglas County. 

We doubt whether His Excellency, the Governor of all 
Kansas, ever signed documents with a greater degree of satisfac- 
tion, than he must have experienced in putting his autograph to 
these. 

Here endeth the ''Governor's History" of the so-called 
" Wakarusa War " — a " most parlous " campaign — which will 
doubtless render the shallow creek from whence it takes its 



196 SHANNON ASSISTED BY THE ELEMENTS. 

name (and that name by the way, like many another sweet 
Indian appellation, won't bear translation, at least to " ears 
polite," in this most modest nineteenth century), as well as the 
Yankee-built city of Lawrence, famous throughout all coming 
time — " So mote it be." 

Governor Shannon tells us that it seemed to him as if the 
very elements fought for him ; for it turned cold, and blew as 
it never blew before in Kansas — until Bean's " Wakarusa 
Hotel" was so full — as its good laudlady expressed it — that 
"you couldn't have crowded another man in edgewise." 

Had it been in the pleasant summer time, or had the weather 
been less seasonable than it was, the "Border Ruffians" might 
be scouting about the Wakarusa Creek at this present 
writing ; but December's winter blasts threw cold water upon 
their quarrel, until, as the knowing ones say, it is hard to 
determine whether the gale of Saturday night or the pacific 
counsel of the Governor did most towards bringing about 
that very desirable event — an almost bloodless termination to 
" the Wakarusa War." And now for another matter. 

A copy of a certain document, addressed to Generals 
Robinson and Lane, the Commanders of the Free State party in 
Lawrence, and signed by Governor Shannon, had come into 
our possession before we entered Kansas. And we had pro- 
mised that, so far as we were concerned, that document should 
not be given to the world. But as it was rumored that a dis- 
position existed, on the part of certain members of the Free 
State party, to make capital out of the existence of this paper, 
we mentioned the fact — in the course of conversation — to 
Governor Shannon, that we were aware of his having attached 
his signature to such a document, at the same time exhibiting 
to him its duplicate in our note-book. The Governor seemed 
very much surprised at our having obtained it, but admitted 
its authenticity, and remarked, that he had not even taken a 



SHANNON SIGNS A CERTAIN PAPER. 197 

copy for himself. The document alluded to is a communication 
( which we publish below at the request of Governor Shannon), 
authorizing the Free State Generals to use the force under their 
command for certain purposes therein named. But let it speak 
for itself — it runs thus : — 

TO C. ROBINSON AND J. H. LANE, COMMANDERS OF THE ENROLLED 
CITIZENS OF LAWRENCE : 

You are hereby authorized and directed to take such measui-es and use 
the enrolled forces under your command in such manner, for the preserva- 
tion of the peace and the protection of the persons and property of the 
people in Lawrence and its vicinity, as in your judgment shall best secure 
that end. 

Wilson Shannon. 

Laiorence, Deo. Wi, 1S55. 

With the view of reconciling this apparent inconsistency in the 
official conduct of Governor Shannon — in first calling out the 
Territorial militia to suppress an armed mob, assembled in direct 
violation of the law, and then legalizing the existence of that 
mob by an official letter, authorizing the same persons to act as 
a military body, at their own discretion, and for an unlimited 
length of time — we took the liberty of addressing a communica- 
tion to Gov. Shannon, in which we requested His Excellency 
to furnish us with any explanation which he might feel disposed 
to give. The following is his reply : — 

GOVERNOR SHANNON'S REPLY. 

Executive Office, Shawnee Mission, K. T., December 25lh, 1855. 
Dear Sir : 

Your favor of this day's date is before me. In reply I have 
to state that the arrangement of the difficulties with the citizens assembled 
in the town of Lawrence during the recent disturbances, was reduced to 
writing by myself, and intended to be on liberal terms, and honorable alike 
to all parties. In my arrangement with them my great object was to 
secure the supremacy of the law, and bring about, if possible, a more 



198 WE ASK AN EXPLANATION. 

friendly feeling between the two conflicting parties, and thus secure a lasting 
peace and amicable relations. I knew the object would be defeated by insist- 
ing on any terms that would be humiliating to the parties concerned, and 
I was determined to extend to the citizens assembled in Lawrence every 
opportunity for placing themselves in what I deemed a correct position in 
reference to the execution of the laws. The paper which was shown you 
was probably a correct copy of the arrangement entered into on the 8th 
instant. 

As to the paper dated on the 9th instant, and purporting to be addressed 
to C. Robinson and J. H. Lane, I desire to make an explanation, so as to 
present the truth in relation to the manner in which it was obtained, as 
well as my object in signing it. In order to understand this matter, it is 
necessary that I should make some preliminary statements. 

On the morning of the 9th, about sunrise, I issued my orders for dis- 
banding the forces assembled around Lawrence. I remained at the Waka- 
rusa camp until the forces at that place had retired. This they did in 
good order. About 10 o'clock a. m. of that day (being Sunday), I went in 
company with Brigadier General Strickler to Lawrence, where, with Sheriff 
Jones and others of the Pro-Slavery party, I spent a considerable portion 
of the day. In the evening I was invited to attend a social gathering of 
ladies and gentlemen of the town of Lawrence, at the Emigrant Aid Society 
Hotel, which I accepted. There were but two rooms finished in the hotel ; 
they were small, and in the third story, and were, therefore, very much 
crowded by the company assembled. The time was spent in the most 
friendly and social manner, and it seemed to be a matter of congratulation 
on every side that the difficulties so lately threatening had at length been 
brought to a happy termination. In the midst of this convivial party, and 
about ten o'clock at night, Dr. C. Robinson came to me, in a state of 
apparent excitement, and declared that their picket guard had just come in 
and reported that there was a large irregular force near the town of Law- 
rence who were threatening an attack ; adding that the citizens of Lawrence 
claimed the protection of the Executive, and to this end desired me to give 
himself and Genl. Lane written permission to repel the threatened assault. 
I replied to Dr. Robinson that they did not require any authority from me, 
as they would be entirely justified in repelling by force any attack upon 
their town ; that the law of self-preservation was sufficient, and that any 
authority which I might give would add nothing to its strength. The 
Doctor replied that they had been represented as having arrayed them- 
selves against the laws and public officers of the Territory, and that he 



SHANNON EXPLAINS. 199 

therefore wished me to give him written authority to repel the threatened 
assault, so that it might appear hereafter, if a rencounter did take place, 
that they were not acting against, but with the approbation of the Territo- 
rial executive. With this view, amid an excited throng, in a small and 
crowded apartment, and without any critical examination of the paper 
which Dr. Robinson had just written, I signed it ; but it was distinctly 
understood that it had no application to anything but the threatened attack 
on Lawrence that night. 

I had, during my negotiations with Dr. Robinson, as one of the committee 
on behalf of the citizens assembled in Lawrence, repeatedly assured him 
that if the people of that place would acknowledge the validity of the Ter- 
ritorial laws until otherwise determined by legitimate authority, and would 
place themselves under their protection, I would exert all the power vested 
in me to protect the citizens of that town, both in their persons and pro- 
perty, and in securing them from an attack. And I will here state that 
after an arrangement had been made with those assembled in Lawrence, 
and after my assurances of protection, so far as in my power lay, I should 
have looked upon any assault upon the town of Lawrence on the night of 
December the 9th as an outrage, and wholly unjustifiable, and I should have 
felt myself bound, both in duty and honor, to have exerted myself to the 
utmost to have prevented so unwarrantable an act of violence. 

It was under these circumstances, and with the view of carrying out in 
good faith my assurances to the citizens of that place (pending negotia- 
tions) and to avoid all cause of complaint on the part of the people of Law- 
rence, on any pretext, for breaking from the stipulations concluded but 
the day before, that I signed a paper authorizing C. Robinson and J. H. 
Lane to repel the threatened attack on the town of Lawrence. It was 
clone on my part with the kindest and best of motives, from an earnest 
desire to restore harmony and confidence. It did not for a moment occur 
to me that this pretended attack upon the town Avas but a device to obtain 
from me a paper which might be used to my prejudice. I supposed at the 
time that I was surrounded by gentlemen and by grateful hearts, and not 
by tricksters, who, with fraudulent representations, were seeking to obtain 
an advantage over me. I was the last man on the globe who deserved such 
treatment from the citizens of Lawrence. For four days and nights, and 
at the cost of many valuable friends, whose good will I have forfeited by 
favoring too pacific a course, I had labored most incessantly to save their 
town from destruction and their citizens from a bloody fight. 

On the next morning after this transaction took place, upon the most 



200 WHY WE ASKED. 

diligent inquiry, I could not learn that any force whatever had ever made 
its appearance before Lawrence upon the previous night ; and on a full 
inquiry into the matter since, I am now satisfied that there was no hostile 
party at any place near Lawrence on the night of the 9th. 

This paper, obtained as I have stated, has, I presume, been shown by 
Doctor Robinson, and copies permitted to have been taken and used, for the 
purpose of giving an air of legality to the acts of the citizens assembled in 
Lawrence previous to its date. No such purpose was contemplated by me, 
and I repeat, that the paper I signed was only intended to apply to the 
alleged threatening of the town of Lawrence by an armed force, on the 
night of December 9th, and if it was obtained, or has been used for any 
other purpose, it is an exhibition of base ingratitude and low trickery, 
which should render infamous the name of every one connected with it. 

Yours, with great respect, 

Wilson Shannon. 

If the reader should be so curious as to ask the motives which 
actuated us in addressing this " call for information " to General 
Shannon, in regard to the nature and intention of the document 
just alluded to, we should answer that, we had two reasons foe. 
so doing. The first, being a desire to sift thoroughly, and weigh 
well the statements which had been made to us, for the journalist 
must ever be a convert to the rule of believing but half that he 
sees and almost nothing that he hears. And where, let me ask, 
can you find an apter illustration of the necessity of this " ower 
carefulness," if such it be, than in the present instance ? We 
might even, had we been so minded, have preached from this 
unlucky paper as from a text, and proved thereby that the 
Governor of Kansas was little better than a walking contradic- 
tion ; at least, we should have made this clear to all who looked 
no further than the document in question. Yet, who does not 
know that "it is the letter that kills 7 ' while " the spirit giveth 
life." To sum up the whole matter, this legalizing of the 
" armed outlaws " in Lawrence, is either a mountain or a mole- 
hill ; take it as it appears, and it is a Mount Pelion ; explain it, 



TWO GOOD REASONS. 201 

and lo ! the mountain lias been in labor, and brought forth — a 
mouse. So much for our first motive. 

As regards the second, we are free to confess that we have 
taken a fancy to the Governor — he did all he could to lighten 
our news-hunting labors — he gave us a hearty welcome, and 
seemed to regret our departure; and that, too, in a country 
where we were literally " a stranger among strangers." This is 
a cold world, and kindness should be reciprocal. Governor 
Shannon is, moreover (or at least we think so), in his anxieties 
for the best good of Kansas, a very single-hearted man ; he has 
also occupied a somewhat prominent position in the world of 
American politics, in which he has filled various offices — such as 
Minister to Mexico, Governor of Ohio, and others of lesser note, 
with credit to himself, and satisfaction to those whom he has 
represented. And finally upon this subject, if a third reason 
should be required, we will add it in the form of an article of 
our creed, which enjoins upon us the belief that every individual 
and every party is, at all times and in all places, entitled to the 
benefit of what they call, in Western Texas, " a white man's 
chance." And in saying this, we are compelled to admit that 
we have followed the very ladylike practice of keeping our 
strongest reason for the last. 

By the way, there is one little incident connected with the 
reception of the Governor's letter of elucidation, which will bear 
repeating. Governor Shannon asked us, as we glanced over his 
epistle, if we thought he had made it strong enough. We were 
reading the concluding sentence at the time, and we made bold 
to assure him that it would be " painting the lily," in that 
respect, to alter a single line ; for if this explanation be not 
strong enough, we only wonder how His Excellency contrives 
to get his powerful ones through the mail-bags, for we should 
fancy that they might almost rival the " Artful Dodger's cele- 

9* 



202 A MYSTERIOUS EPISTLE. 

brated tea," which had arrived at that degree of strength 'that it 
required a safety-valve to the tea-pot to prevent an explosion. 

The following epistle has just been handed us. We copy from 
the original document, a much mutilated and not over cleanly 
bit of paper, six inches by four, badly spelt, and evidently writ- 
ten with a view to disguise the hand. It was folded in a self- 
sealing note-envelope, with an ornamental seal pressed into the 
paper of so peculiar a stamp that an expert policeman could 
hardly fail, in a small town like Lawrence, to discover its 
author. It is directed to " Sheriff Jones, Lawrence, K. T.," 
by whom it was recently received, through the Lawrence post- 
office : it reads thus, " short and sweet " : — 

[No date.] 
Sheriff Jones — You are notified that if you make one more arrest by 
the order of any magistrate appointed by the KansasJ3ogus Legislature, 
that in so doing you will sign your own Death Warrant. Per order. 

Secret Twelve. 

This dispatch is as " ultra " in its tone as the most enthusi- 
astic agitator could wish. 

We have just learned by a gentleman this day from Lecomp- 
ton, that he was in Lawrence on the Tuesday following the dis- 
banding of the militia, and then and there saw some fifteen or 
twenty men engaged in digging entrenchments. To use his own 
expression, " they are adding some circular earth forts " Our 
informant also states that they have a flag still flying over the 
town — a tri-color — red, white, and blue — the stripes running in 
the same manner as those of the American ensign, but no stars. 
What does this strengthening of breastworks mean ? Is not 
peace made, ratified, and concluded ? 



SEASONABLE. 203 



CHAPTER XXI 



CHRISTMAS IN KANSAS. 



Christmas-day — cold, bitter, freezing, seasonable as it ought 
to be ; a little too " seasonable," perhaps, for the like of this, in 
the way of biting winter weather, has never been known in 
Kansas, even in the memory of that highly respectable indivi- 
dual — the oldest inhabitant. The ground is covered with snow. 
At Council Bluffs it is said to be six feet in depth ; and for the 
past three days the mercury here has indicated from ten to 
twenty-two degrees below zero; other authorities say thirty-three, 
but we have no desire to make it any worse — it's bad enough as 
it is — in fact we have been so much annoyed of late by weather- 
wise observers, who will insist upon quoting their different and 
differing thermometers for our especial benefit, that we begin 
to entertain almost as decided an " enemosity " to that sensitive 
instrument as did the old lady down East, who, on being informed 
upon a certain scorching day in August, that " the thermometer 
made it five degrees hotter," begged her son John to " take the 
darned thing out of doors afore it sot the house on fire." We 
forget whether this thrice-told tale has been credited to Mrs. 
Partington or not. 

But to return — we even hear of people being frost-bitten on 
lonely prairie roads, 

" Smoothed up with snow," 



204 OUR CORRESPONDENT'S CHRISTMAS. 

where, if the traveller should wander from the unbeaten track, 
his chance — unless he be a better path-finder than new-comers 
generally are — is small indeed. Old Kansas settlers say that 
last year some people froze to death ; and we can readily ima- 
gine it, for Siberia itself could hardly look more frigidly repul- 
sive than these frozen, snow-drifted wastes of Eastern Kansas. 

And this is Christmas ! — Dear, old-fashioned, merry-hearted 
Christmas ! — which we have longed for, and welcomed, and 
honored truly from a boy. But there's some mistake this year ; 
for though to-day is, beyond a doubt, December the 25th, on 
which, as everybody knows, Christmas ought and used to come, 
we haven't seen it yet — our Christmas we mean. Alas ! what 
evil fortune — our festival, with its friendly gifts and right good 
wishes ; its turkey dinner, pleased little ones, toasts, mince pie, 
evergreen decorated church, sermon, and all that sort of thing, 
is on the t'other side of those far-off Alleghany mountains. So 
we must even make the Christmas of 1855 a working-day, if 
only in self-defence to occupy the mind and drive away those 
confounded visitors — the Blue Devils, which will intrude them 
selves, though all unbidden, when the " voyageur " treats him- 
self to that most dangerous luxury, a fit of musing, which 
bears him back, " on Fancy's restless wing," to distant friends 
and home. 

And thus it happened that " Our Correspondent's " Christ- 
mas-day dwindled down into plain December the twenty-fifth, 
which we passed in writing — bating a meridian egg-nog — until 
the gloomy winter evening was deepening the shadows in the 
Governor's as yet unlighted chamber, when we received a spe- 
cial envoy in the person of Mr. Johnson, the superintendent of 
the Mission, who intimated to us that his good lady would be 
happy to see Governor Shannon and his suite — of which we, by 
courtesy, formed one, for the time being — in their private " sit- 
ting room," where she would have the pleasure of introducing 



HAPPY CHILDREN. 205 

to our notice an " apple toddy," with accompanying refresh- 
ments, concocted by her own fair hands ; an invitation which 
we were not slow to accept. Reader 1 did you ever taste 
apple toddy ? If you haven't, try it ; when it is just possible 
that you may discover why we don't like it, too. "Take an 
old man's advice, and never mix your liquor, Charley," was 
the recommendation of that veteran stager, Major Monsoon, to 
his young friend O'Malley ; and we firmly believe that if old 
Monsoon had been requested to imbibe apple toddy, he would 
have pronounced it a terrible compound, involving an awful 
waste of " the groceries." But if the mixture was question- 
able, its accessories were not ; and better still, we found, upon 
descending to Mistress Johnson's sanctum, a huge open wood 
fire (our old favorite), and plenty of children (another pet of 
ours), all busily engaged, like Mrs. Bradford's " Benny," in 

" Digging deep among the goodies 
In their crimson stockings hid ;" 

and raising the very Ancient Edward himself in their boisterous 
glee. It was a pleasant thing to mark their gambols, and to lis- 
ten to those little ones, too ; for their merry shouts filled that 
" fire-lighted chamber " with joyous echoes. But as we watched 
their sport there came up to our mind 

"A fearful vision fraught with all that lay between," 

of that uncertain future whose sorrows would, in coming years, 
wrinkle those fair young brows and dim those gaily laughing 
eyes — and then, as we turned from the far-off Future to walk 
sorrowfully with the recent Past, what bitter recollections 
came crowding in of Death's stern doings within the year which 
was now growing grey and old — and oh ! how chillingly they 
fell upon our heart, as our spirit drifted out — borne up by the 



206 THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST. 

Ghost of Christmas Past, into the chill December air — to sweep 
over many a snow-clad mount and ice-bound river, and traverse 
plain, and lake, and leafless forest, until it reached the spot, 
made sunshine but a twelve-month ago by the presence of one 
too pure for earth, whose infant form now sleeps that long last 
rest which knows no waking, beneath the frozen clods of a sea- 
side city of the dead. What wonder, then, that we are sad 
to-night ! 

It may interest the New York juveniles to know that in the 
Far Western country, a child's first Christmas salutation to 
every one it meets, is " Christmas gift — Christmas gift." They 
catch you always, if they can. We tried to get ahead of a blue- 
eyed, curly-headed little lady this morning — a daughter of Mr. 
Woodson, the Secretary of State — but Miss Betty was too 
smart for us, and cried " Christmas gift," before we could open 
our mouth. 

So much for our Christmas day in Kansas. 

Shawnee Mission, Dec. 26. 

We must talk politics to-day or nothing, so we will even ex- 
tract the very lightest paragraph from our latest journalizing, 
and introduce it here. 

Judge S , the Free State candidate for , had a long 

conversation with Governor Shannon in the executive office yes- 
terday. The Judge is, as we are informed, a New Yorker ; 
that is to say, from the interior of that State. He is reported 
to have left there in disgust, because, to quote from his Honor's 
own words, as expressed to a distinguished individual in the 
Territory, " He would not live in a State where his next door 
neighbor — a better man than himself — who had, however, the 
misfortune to be naturally dark-colored, with a slight kink in 
his hair — could not cast his vote, because he was not a free- 
holder." As may be presumed from this, the Judge is an Abo- 



A POLITICAL DIALOGUE. 20? 

litionist, " dyed in the wool." But be this as it may, the Judge 
is spoken of as a man of his word, and a person whose statements 
may be relied upon. We therefore attach more importance to 
the following dialogue : — 

Judge. — Do you really believe, Governor, that there will be 
any appeal to arms made by the contending parties in this Ter- 
ritory ? 

Governor. — Everything tends that way at the present time, 
sir. I think that this must be the final result, for I have not a 
particle of confidence in the present state of quiet. 

Judge. — As I am now going East, I will, in such an event, 
send out men and arms to the Free State party in Kansas. The 
Missourians talk of ' wiping us out,' but they can't do it, sir — 
they can never do it — for the Free States can raise twenty 
dollars to one, and four men to one over the slaveholding States. 

Secretary of State. — I reckon you are going East for that 
purpose, anyhow, Judge. 

To this insinuation the Judge returned no definite reply, but 
smiled significantly. 

Governor. — Do you not think, Judge, if your folks get to 
fighting in Kansas, that the war will extend to other parts of 
our country, and finally terminate in the dissolution of the Union ? 

Judge. — Certainly it will. I think the Union won't last six 
months, or a year at the most. 

And here we came away — or our informant did, who formed 
one of the party. 

The following may be relied on as a part of the present inten- 
tions and prospects of the Free State party in Kansas. It 
comes from one of their most prominent men, whose name has 
been placed upon their ticket for State officers. 

They intend putting their Free State government into opera- 
tion at any cost. They have no hopes that Congress will admit 
Kansas as a State, during its present session, but declare that 



208 A NEGRO STANDARD-BEARER. 

they have positive assurances that, to favor their views, no 
appropriation for the support of the Territorial government in 
Kansas will be made, even if it should be necessary to defeat 
the General Appropriation Bill in so doing, in which event, 
they hope the Territorial government will "die out," and per- 
mit their State administration to step into its shoes. This 
is to be done in the House of Representatives. They do not 
claim strength in the Senate. But whether this takes place or 
not, they have decided that their Free State government is to 
go into operation on the 4th of March next, at which time they 
will inaugurate their State officers. 

To-day is December 2T. And now, if there be any fun in 
the Kansas question, we will extract it, if we can ; but don't be 
critical, kind reader, for it's about as hopeless a task to get 
blood from a stone, as a good joke out of political wire-pulling ; 
but if the subject have a " sunny side," we'll find it, for the 
present, upon its Southern exposure, so we shall, therefore, 
indulge ourself in a few Pro-Slavery yarns, which, as they 
are veritable facts, and withal, "nuts to crack" for somebody, 
may as well come in here. 

Yarn the First. — We are assured that the standard of the 
Pro-Slavery company, which marched to the seat of war from 
Jackson County, Mo. was carried by a slave — a slave born, 
and bred, and dyed in the wool ; in short, what a certain person 
we wot of would elegantly designate, as " a long-heeled, thick- 
lipped, flat-nosed, and kinky-headed specimen of the benighted 
and down-trodden Sons of Africa," who nevertheless marched 
gallantly in the van, bearing aloft the banner of Pro-Slavery, 
and withal, " armed and equipped as Border law directs," to 
encounter those who " had been talking" of shedding their life's 
blood for his benefit. And this is what these ferocious (i Border 
Ruffians call "putting the seeds of dissension in the lead." 

Yarn the Second. — Some months ago a slaveholder in Lafa- 



A BODY-GUARD OF SLAVES. 209 

yette County, Mo., passed through the town of Westport, in 
that State, on his way to select a farming location in Kansas 
Territory. He was accompanied by half a dozen likely negroes 
from his own plantation, all well mouuted and completely armed, 
each fellow having a Colt's navy revolver tucked into his right 
boot. 

" Where the deuce are you going to with those niggers V 1 
shouted an inquisitive friend to the planter, as the cavalcade 
trotted into Westport. 

" Going ?" was the reply, " why, where should I be going ? 
I'm bound for Kansas to hunt a claim, and as I knew I'd have to 
go by Lawrence, and down among those vile abolitionists, I 
thought I'd better have a body-guard, and brought some of 
my niggers along accordingly." 

Yarn the Third. — An old negro man, a slave, belonging to 
a gentleman in the vicinity of Westport, was asked whether he 
did not " want to go and live among the Free State men in Law- 
rence ?" when he instantly replied : 

" No ! s'pect not, massa, dis nigger been raised 'inong quality 
— couldn't think of gwine thar, sir : drather stay at home 'inong 
white folks/'' 

It is currently reported in these parts, that when a planter 
wishes to scare a refractory darkey into good behavior, he has 
only to threaten selling him to a Lawrence man, which operates 
as effectually as a hint to a nigger in the Old Dominion, that 
he's off for New Orleans, if he dont amend. 

If strong Pro-Slavery sympathizers are to be believed, the South 
must be " up and rising " upon the Kansas question. She will, 
they say, pour a tremendous emigration into' the Territory in 
the early spring. The following items may, we think, among a 
mass of rumors which want foundation, be relied upon, as we 
have derived them from the highest and most respectable sources : 

From one county in Georgia, one hundred bona fide emigrants 



210 KAXSAS EMIGRATION FROM THE SOUTH. 

have already made their preparations to start. More will leave 
from other counties in that State. 

From Mississippi no less a personage than Gen. Quitman himself, 
with some hundreds of the boys of the Cotton State, are confi- 
dently looked for. Gen. Quitman has (it is said), given $2,500 
to promote the objects of the Southern Kansas Aid Emigration 
Society. This may not be the proper title of the association, 
but it has the peopling of Kansas by Pro-Slavery men for 
its aim. 

Colonel Buford, of Alabama (writes our informant), has con- 
tributed from his own purse $25,000 for a similar purpose. He 
himself is coming out to the Territory in March with 300 Ala- 
bamians, who will settle in Kansas, cast their votes to make her 
a slave State, and, if necessary, handle their rifles in the sam& 
cause, a procedure, by the way, which we deprecate exceedingly. 

Apropos to possible Kansas Aid Emigration Societies in the 
South, we have made the following extract from Col. Buford's 
address to " Kansas emigrants, and the friends of the South gen- 
erally, 1 ' as we find it published in the Alabama " Spirit of the 
South." In selecting these extracts, we have carefully endeavored to 
strike out all that was partisan, our object being simply to present 
the reader with a fair specimen of the practical organization and 
proposed arrangements of one or two of the numerous Pro- 
Slavery Kansas Emigrant Aid Societies, which are now forming, 
or said to be forming, in almost every city of the sunny South : 

From the Alabama Spirit of the South. 

TO KANSAS EMIGRANTS AND TO ALL FRIENDS OF THE SOUTH. 

I had proposed to start with my company of Kansas emigrants on the 
11th of February next, but many of them being unable to get ready by 
that time, and others being unwilling to go before spring, and especially 
as I am advised by my correspondents that the Missouri and Kansas rivers 






COLONEL BUFORD's SCHEME. 211 

are already impeded by ice, I have determined to postpone starting till the 
winter breaks. 

The emigrants may rendezvous at Eufaula, on the 31st March next, at 
Columbus, Ga., on the 3d of April, and at Montgomery, Ala., on the 5th 
of April next — so that I can start from Eufaula, via Columbus and Mont- 
gomery, collecting on the way those I find at the different places of ren- 
dezvous. The company will travel from Montgomery by steamers, via 
Mobile and New Orleans, or else by railroad via Atlanta to Nashville, and 
thence by steamer to Kansas. I engage to transport no baggage except 
six blankets, one gun, one knapsack, and one frying-pan to each emigrant. 
For baggage over and above this, the emigrant himself must engage 
transportation ; many will have no more, and I must treat all alike. 
While I thought my company would be small, I expected to be able to 
take women, children, and slaves ; but I find I must leave them to give 
place to men, who are now greatly needed in Kansas to preserve the pub- 
lic peace and enforce the laws. I now expect over four hundred men, and 
I will take no females, nor slaves, nor minors under eighteen years of age. 
Women and children should not be exposed there in tents in the spring, 
but the husbands should go first and prepare houses. 

The regiment will be divided into companies of forty or fifty men, under 
the usual military officers, elected by the men. Officers have no emolu- 
ments, and the organization is on the principle of volunteer militia to sus- 
tain the laws; a majority of each company may expel any member. 
Rations, transportation, and fare, that of soldiers in service. By way of 
remunerating me for the privilege of joining my party, for subsistence 
and transportation to Kansas, and for furnishing means to enter his pre- 
emption, each emigrant agrees to acquire a pre-emption, and to pay me, 
when his titles are perfected, a sum equal to the value of one-half of his 
pre-emption, which obligation he may discharge in money or property at a 
fair valuation, at his own option. I had heretofore, from misinformation, 
supposed pre-emptions assignable before patent, but on examining the 
act I find they are not. Neither does the donation act apply to Kansas, 
but each male of full age, widow or head of family who has not had a 
pre-emption under the act of 1841 and does not own 320 acres of land, 
and who has improved and settled on it — not to sell on speculation, but for 
his own use and cultivation — is entitled to enter 160 acres, at $1 25 per 
acre, payable any time before the land sales. 

I have simplified my proposals to a single proposition, as above, in order 



212 JUDGE CATO ON THE TERRITORY. 

to be more easily understood and to obviate the many questions that over- 
whelm me. 

Besides taking only free males over eighteen, the great number of 
applications compels this further modification, i. e. : — I will receive only 
those emigrants who rendezvous at the places above designated — at either 
of which places, i. e., Eufaula, Columbus, or Montgomery, I will receive 
all males over eighteen from any Southern State, who join me at the 
time above designated ; their rations to begin from the time above- 
named for rendezvous. Emigrants must pay their own expenses to the 
place and day of rendezvous. Those gentlemen in California and other 
States, forming companies to join me, can very easily obtain free trans- 
portation for their companies by proper application to the directors of the 
railroads over which they must pass. 

******* 

I have before told you what Judge Cato (Judge of the Territory) says 
of that fertile region. In his letter of November last, he writes : — 

"Corn is plenty at twenty-five cents per bushel. This is as fine a 
country as any on earth ; the profits on its productions far exceed that in 
the cotton regions. All grain, grass, clover, and hemp give large returns 
— at least from thirty to forty dollars per acre annually. I have seen no 
poor lands ; it all seems richer than the best Chattahoochee bottom, and 
the most of it is just like adjoining Missouri lands that now sell at twenty 
to fifty dollars per acre. The estimated average of the corn is one hun- 
dred bushels per acre, and six tons hemp per hand, worth $140 per ton. I 
can give no idea of the beauty and fertility of the soil of the country. 
Good wells can be obtained anywhere, and running streams are frequent." 

Dr. Walker, a long resident of its borders, and of high character and 
intelligence, says : 

"As far as health, climate, and profits of labor arc concerned, Kansas is 
better than any part of the Union. There is no country where a man can 
be more independent, and make his bread and meat with less capital, than 
here ; ten or twelve furrows will make ten barrels of corn to the acre. 
One thousand pounds hemp per acre is a common crop. There are swarms 
of cattle and good markets for everything." 

Another distinguished resident of Western Missouri, in his letter of the 
30th December to me, says : 

"Planters are making twice the money per hand that they are in any 
other part of the Union. One hand will raise five tons of hemp, and this 



RELIGIOUS AND UNEXCEPTIONABLE. 213 

don't interfere with the corn, wheat, and oat crop ; planters have no sup- 
plies to purchase, but everything to sell. A near neighbor last year, with 
fourteen hands, men, women, and boys, averaged eight hundred and 
thirty-six dollars per hand — negro fellows, field hands, hire for $300 per 
annum — mechanics $G0O ; white men $25 per month ; any number of 
young men in the spring can find ready employment at that price, and 
then they have other advantages." 

Kansas is the starting point for California, Oregon, Utah, and New 
Mexico — thousands of wagons leave every spring ; they carry three mil- 
lions of goods per annum to New Mexico, besides immense government 
supplies to pay Indians and sustain our military posts, &c. 

Let every one wishing to go urge his neighbors to hold meetings who 
will appoint agents to solicit every man's contribution, either in money or 
note, payable after the emigrants are taken out. Contributions must not 
be to individual members, but for the common benefit. I could by the 
last of March raise five thousand men, if the contributions reached, say 
$10 per head — for that would enable me to furnish all with their military 
and agricultural outfit. 

I am asked, " What military and other service do I require ?" None, 
except that when he gets to Kansas, the emigrant shall begin some honest 
employment for a living — if it be working on his claim — that will give 
him credit to buy bread on. On his way there he is expected to be 
orderly and temperate, to attend the reading of the Scripture and prayer, 
night and morning, learn to fear God, to be charitable to our enemies, 
gentle with females and those in our power, merciful to slaves and beasts, 
and just to all men. 

All who intend to go, will please write me immediately. 

W. P. Belcher, Esq., Abbeville C. H., S. C, and Capt. E. B. Bell, 
Graniteville, Edgefield, S. C, I understand, are raising companies to join me. 
They, doubtless, can get free transportation for them to Columbus, Ga., 
and Carolina emigrants might do well to come with one of them. 

All editors friendly to the enterprise, it is hoped, will copy this address 
in full. 

J. BUFORD. 
Eufaula, Ala., Jan. 19, 1856. 



214 E. B. BELL AND HO FOR KANSAS. 

The following comes from E. B. Bell, Esq., of South Caro- 
lina ; we have taken the liberty of treating Mr. Bell's letter in 
the same manner as that of his predecessor, by extracting its 
political pepper — for, with all due deference to these gentlemen, 
we do not intend in this, our Kansas war, to permit any one to 
meddle with the spice box but ourself. And if we cannot suc- 
ceed in basting both sides to their entire satisfaction ere we cry, 
" Hold, enough," we will invite all parties concerned to proceed 
forthwith to the plains of Kansas, a most unbounded battle 
field, and there fight out the quarrel with Sharpe's rifles and 
Bowie knifes if they please, while we stand by, to see the fight. 

From the Edgefield (S. C.) Advertiser. 
HO ! FOR KANSAS. 

At the solicitation of many friends, I will commence the organization of 
a company of one hundred men to proceed to Kansas about the last of 
March. 

This pioneer band needs the aid of our moneyed citizens. They go to 
a far-off country for the purpose of securing homes, and at the same time 
to defend Southern institutions. They appeal to their native State for aid, 
with the hope that their appeal will not be in vain. 

It is impossible that the people of South Carolina can hear without 
emotion the news which daily comes to us from Kansas. 

******* 
We trust that these questions may be answered in a worthy and liberal 
manner. Let patriotism, State pride, and Southern spirit be expressed in 
some suitable, practical form of aid for Kansas. 

E. B. Bell 

Were further testimony necessary of there being some reality 
in this action on the part of the South, it might be added from 
Georgia, Mississippi, and other slaveholding States — for from 
the dark forests of Kentucky, as well as from the rice-fields of 
the sunny South, comes up the cry, " Hurrah for Kansas ! 



A SLIGHT MISTAKE. 215 

To change the subject — Hunters just in from the plains report 
buffalo in great abundance. They came in this fall to within 
fifteen miles of Council Grove ; this is nearer than they have 
come for years. A party of men arrived here, or in Indepen- 
dence, some ten days ago, with four wagons loaded down with 
their meat. Would it not be a good speculation for some enter- 
prising fellow — a Yankee, of course — to come to the Territory 
and go into the buffalo butchering business ? 

And yet another change : Editors make mistakes sometimes 
both in and out of Kansas — here is a specimen ; we clip our 
text from the " Herald of Freedom,' 7 Dec. 15 : 

Major Clarke, Pottawatomie Agent, reinforced the mob at Lecompton 
yesterday, with a party of Indians. As this party passed through 
Topeka they boasted that they would not return without a scalp — one on 
each shoulder. 

Clarke attempted last evening to shoot a Free State man, but the ball 
passed through the leg of one of his own friends, shattering it very much, 
rendering it quite probable that it will have to be amputated. 

The real facts of this affair — which was, after all, what an 
Irishman would call, "just a thrifling mistake, and divil a bit 
more'' — were, as we have received them from Major Clarke, the 
gentleman alluded to in the foregoing paragraph, substantially 
as follows,— 

Major George W. Clarke, United States Indian Agent for the Pottawa- 
tomies, being in the Indian Reservation, and learning that the country 
through which he was about to travel, with a large amount of public funds, 
was filled with armed and incendiary parties, adopted the precaution of 
bringing with him an escort composed of employees of his agency, among 
whom were five Pottawatomies, whom he sent back the next day, and who 
did not participate in any manner in the territorial difficulties. Upon 
returning to hi3 residence, near Lecompton — having in the meantime left 
his escort at that place, distant by some two and a-half miles — he found 
his family in great alarm from a threatened attack to be made upon his 



216 SHOOTING THE WRONG MAN. 

house that night. In the course of the evening, and at an early hour, he 
was aroused by the screams of his family, who were alarmed by one of its 
members, who came running in, and stated that the house was attacked by 
an armed party, and that the assailants were already in the yard. Major 
Clarke seized a loaded fowling-piece which happened to be standing in the 
hall, ran out of the back door, turned a corner of the house — it being very 
dark at the time. Upon doing so he perceived a number of men just 
entering the front door. Fully believing that a set of desperadoes were 
about carrying out their blood-thirsty intentions — in accordance with the 
repeated threats which had even upon that very day been made by certain 
individuals of the Free State party, to the effect that they would shoot 
Major Clai'ke, he did not hail, but hastily fired; the piece was loaded with 
small bird shot (not " ball," as the " Herald of Freedom " states.) The load 
most unfortunately entered the leg of one of the men, who proved to be 
one of a party of Major Clarke's neighbors, who had come at Mrs. Clarke's 
request to assist in protecting her house against the violence with which it 
had been threatened by a Free State mob. After some moments of confusion 
an explanation was made, and the injured man was carried into the house, 
where his wounds were as well cared for as circumstances would permit. 
At his request, Major Clarke then carried the victim of this sad accident 
home in his (Major Clarke's) carriage. The gentleman injured (Mr. 
Bolder) is now rapidly recovering, and is at present able to walk about, 
and, as Major Clarke is most happy to declare, stands in no danger of being 
called upon to submit to an amputation. 

Nothing like having both sides of a story, is there ? 



AN ODD FISH. 211 



CHAPTER XXII 



LIFE AT THE MISSION. 



December 29th — morning. At Shawnee Mission still. The 
weather (and why shouldn't we quote the weather as well as 
Professor E. Meriam or any other warmly-housed philosopher) 
has got into a " cold circle " in these regions just now, and if 
you should ask us when it's going to get out, we could but reply 
in the words of an eccentric lieutenant of artillery — a musical 
man, and odd fish generally — who once informed his tailor, who 
seemed over anxious about " that little bill of his," that " he 
couldn't pay it then, and the Lord in his infinite mercy only 
knew when he could," and it's just so with this Kansas cold 
weather. But we would have you to understand that we shall, 
while it lasts, warm our indignation at its continuance, and thus 
verify the old adage about its being " a very cold breeze which 
blows nobody any good." But it is biting, though, in sober ear- 
nest, cold enough, in fact, to freeze the Free State question and 
thereby make Kansas respectable in spite of herself. 

Reports from Lawrence say that " the enemy " are still 
entrenching themselves — a waste of labor — if it be true ; do 
they fancy that the " Border Ruffians" are going to enter upon 
a campaign, even with their " sumraum bonum, " — a fight with 
the Abolitionists as an incentive in such a temperature as this ? 
Why, the Missouri army of invasion would be out of necessa- 
ries ere it had marched twenty miles ; for all the whisky in 

10 



218 THE PRELIMINARY HORN. 

" Pukedom " would not last the Pro-Slavery forces — with the 
mercury below zero — for even a single day. No, Free Soilism 
may bless its favoring stars, for it may now exclaim with Nicho- 
las (late of all the Russias), " Have we not Generals January 
and February to fight our battles ?" and Brigadier Jack Frost 
too, with his rimy beard and icy armor of proof? Pooh ! 
niggers and Pro-Slavery men can't stand such a climate as 
this. 

But we are weary of this hum-drum monotony — our mission 
life don't suit us — as a specimen which we will give you pre- 
sently shall most abundantly prove. So, blow high — blow low 
— come ice, or hail, or snow — we take the Lawrence road to-mor- 
row, where we shall both see and hear for ourself. We are 
therefore determined and shall start for the late " seat of war," 
from whence, if we escape the Abolitionists, and be not congealed 
upon the road, the world in general may expect to hear from us 
within eight-and-forty hours from this present writing. 

But we promised the reader a sample of the half-dozen dreary 
days which we spent at Shawnee Mission. So let us shorten 
our style and write it up in brief. 

Morning at the Mission. — Six o'clock, and the mercury two 
dozen degrees below zero. Scene. — A large double-bedded 
room, with ill-made windows, a badly-hung door, and not even 
a spark in the fire-place, its sole tenant being " Our Corres- 
pondent," just then in bed, the tip of his intellectual nose, of 
whose existence he has had serious doubts for the last half-hour, 
being the only feature visible. First, breakfast-bell rings vio- 
lently — no, it don't — but Nigger Bill blows the preliminary 
horn, which in this instance comes to the same thing. " Our 
Correspondent" is reminded of Tennyson's " Bugle Song," which 
he proceeds to quote, with a difference, as follows : — 

" Blow, bugle, blow — the kitchen-maid's replying, 
And answer echoes, answer— frying — frying— frying. 



MAKING AN EFFORT. 219 

" Our Correspondent " meditates. Breakfast is a necessity not 
to be had at Shawnee Mission after eight o'clock, a. m., but 
the road to that necessity lies through getting up, and getting 
up with the mercury down, is a fact of the stubbornest kind, a 
very jackass of a fact. "Our Correspondent" continues to 
reflect, and finally extends one leg outside of the covering to act 
as a feeling thermometer, but brings it back again hastily, for 
the leg doesn't like it ; it might have suffered more, had not 
" Our Correspondent," like a prudent man, emulated the example 
of 

" Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John," 

by literally "going to bed with his breeches on ;" for if " misery 
makes strange bed-fellows," there is no reason why it should not 
suggest strange bed-clothes — particularly where Mackinaws are 
scarce — which we regret to say is the case at Shawnee Mission. 
But, to return, we — for "Our Correspondent" takes up too 
much space — had gotten our pedal extremity into bed again, 
and were once more resolving ourself into a committee of ways 
and means when, like a knell, we heard the 

•' Tintinnabulations that so shiveringly swelled 
Of the bell, the breakfast bell, 
Ringing out above our head." 

The foregoing is from Poe's " Song of the Bells," we believe, 
but we're not certain as to the accuracy of the quotation. And 
the signal had its effect, for it was the second and " last time of 
asking." We "made an effort" — even Mrs. Dcmbey would 
have "made an effort," under like circumstances — so we deter- 
mined to get up, aud accordingly protruded our legs from 
their, comparatively speaking, comfortable interior of covering ; 
but don't be alarmed, fair reader, for remember they had 
breeches on them ; our body followed — we made a desperate 



220 THE EASTERN MAIL. 

jump — and then landed in the middle of one of the very " cold- 
est circles " off of Brooklyn Heights. 

As we were already dressed, with the exception of a coat and 
a pair of half frozen boots, it required only a shake or two — a 
la Newfoundland dog — to make our toilet, but our ablutions 
were of the scantiest ; for the bathing conveniences — a tin 
wash-basin and pitcher — proved themselves to be a practical 
commentary upon Sam Weller's suggestion of 

"Werry delightful climate for them as is well wropped 
up, as the polar bear remarked, when he vent a skatin' vith 
his intimate friend — for water in the hand-basin is a mask o' ice, 
sir." 

We were, therefore, compelled to sacrifice that virtue, which 
ranks " next to godliness," at least, for the present ; and then, - 
with a heavy worsted comforter bound round our neck, ran at 
top speed through the snow-drifted hall, and from thence into 
the long dining-room, where we took our place upon a wooden 
bench, with a huge tin coffee-pot, one of a long and illustrious 
line of tin coffee-pots ; ranged at regular intervals upon the 
board, for a vis a vis, and forty young Indians, besides a suffi- 
ciency of " white folks/' by way of company. Then came a 
Western breakfast, and then we made a bolt for the Executive 
office, situated in another building, which we reached by a half 
beaten path through the piled up snow, where we passed our 
time between writing and getting "exclusive information" from 
Governor Shannon, with an occasional visit to the stove to thaw 
out the benumbed fingers, which could scarcely hold the pen, 
until the somewhat primitive hour of noon brought us to our 
dinner, and another journey through the snow ; then came the 
afternoon with its continuation of our literary labors, varied, 
perhaps, by the arrival of some chance visitor with news, or it 
may be, by Woodson's bringing in the Eastern mail from the 
Westport post-office, when Kansas items were extracted and 



A KANSAS NIGHT-MARE. 221 

read over, and Free State editors with Abolitionist proclivities 
(: handled without gloves," by the Governor and his suite, until 
the supper-bell put an end to the discussion. As for the eve- 
ning, it was but a repetition of the afternoon, prolonged by our 
scribbling into two or three o'clock in the morning, when we 
once more ploughed through the snow, on our way to the main 
building, in which we would seek out our icy, comfortless cham- 
ber, and then (all accoutered as we were) scramble into bed, 
where it was often daybreak before we had grown sufficiently 
warm to slumber, and even then, our over-tasked brain would 
be ridden, as by a nightmare, with Kansas politics, and Kansas 
news, and Kansas questions in general, till, in our spectre-haunted 
dreams, Free Stateism took the form of a long-limbed, red-head- 
ed negro, in a shocking beaver, shambling legs, and dirty white 
coat ; while Pro-Slavery shook his fist at the apparition from 
the other side of our couch, in the shape of a ferocious Border- 
Ruffian, with a slave whip in one hand, and a revolver in the 
other, until, as somebody says, we would awake, and swear a 
prayer or two, and then fall to our sleep again. 

"All of which," to quote from the secretaries, "is respect- 
fully submitted " as a faint outline of our daily routine of life — if 
such an existence can be called living — at the Methodist Shawnee 
Mission. 

December 29, Evening. — At " old man Harris's " most uncom- 
fortable " hotel," in Westport. We are once more settled in 
our old chamber, which has, at present, an additional tenant, in 
the person of Major Clarke, the Pottawatomie Indian Agent, 
elsewhere alluded to. Now, Major Clarke, differing opinions to 
the contrary notwithstanding, is, to our thinking, a fat, warm- 
hearted, jovial little man ; and so we like Clarke, and " don't 
kear " who knows it ; and our reason for fancying him is just 
this (and a very Irish one at that) there's a deal of fun in him. 
He has shot one or two men it is true ; has fought a brace of 



222 OUR FUNNY LITTLE FRIEND. 

duels, and it may be more ; but we can't help liking him, for, as 
we have already said, he has 

" A marvellous humor of his own." 

So we shall journey on to Kansas to-morrow in company, and 
while together, be comrades in all good fellowship. 

Evening. — Major Clarke and myself have just made ourselves 
as comfortable as circumstances will permit, by visiting the 
rooms of our fellow-lodgers, where we have quietly emptied every 
wood box, and removed their contents to our own apartment, 
thereby providing ourselves with a stock of fuel for this night's 
consumption. A somewhat selfish but very prudent move, sug- 
gested by the fact that, in "old man Harris's" establishment, a 
nigger is not to be had, even when stimulated by a dime, unless, 
indeed, you break the darkey's head daily ; and when you do 
get a servant, it's ten to one that he cuts the fire-wood six 
inches too short for your stove, and then you may freeze in bed, 
or out, as you prefer ; or, if you don't know the ways of the 
house, spend your time and breath in shouting for some sable 
functionary, who grows stone deaf, on principle, after nine 
o'clock, P.M. 



A VISIT FROM COLEMAN. 223 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

Coleman's narrative. 

We have a visitor in our chamber as we write — Mister — every- 
body is Mister in the democratic Far West — Franklin M. Cole- 
man, who has gained a Kansas, and perhaps even outside noto- 
riety from having been " the murderer — so say the Free State 
prints — of Dow. 

And we are about to present the reader with a narrative of the 
circumstances attending his unfortunate rencounter with the 
deceased, together with the difficulties which led to it, as we 
have taken the story down from Coleman's own lips. 

We do this for two reasons ; in the first place, the killing of 
Dow (a Free State man) seems to be generally referred to and 
decided upon as one of the initial — if not the initial point of the 
recent Kansas difficulties. And in the second place, this matter 
has been so garbled, both in the communications of interested 
letter-writers, and in the paragraphs of a one-sided local press, 
that we feel it is but just to give to the world, for the first time, 
the statement of the principal actor in this most deplorable 
tragedy. It runs thus : 

franklin m. coleman's narrative. 

" I am a native of Brook County in Virginia. I left that 
State in 1849, and removed to Louisa County Iowa, from 
whence I emigrated to Kansas City, Mo., in April, 1854. Fere 



224 COLEMAN SETTLES AT HICKORY POINT. 

I kept the Union Hotel until September of last year. From this 
place I moved with my family, consisting of a wife and child (a 
boy of six years old), to Hickory Point, on the Santa Fe trail, 
distant some ten miles from Lawrence, K. T. 

" At this time, the greater part of the land near Hickory Point 
was held by three Indianians, who occupied, partly by their own 
claims, but mostly as the representatives of certain friends of 
theirs in Indiana, who, though non-residents, claimed title by them 
as their proxies. Time passed on, and the absentee claimants ne- 
glected to comply with the requisitions of the ' Squatter Laws/ 
thereby forfeiting their claims. Three of their claims were 
accordingly taken by Missourians, who learned that they were 
lying vacant, in November of 1854. Some few days after these 
claims had been entered upon, the- absentee Indianian claimants 
arrived. This led to one of the 'jumped claims ' being referred 
to arbitration — the arbitrators being twelve in number, a majo- 
rity of whom belonged to the Free State party. It was settled 
by these in favor of the Missourians. On the strength of this 
decision, in partnership with John M. Banks, a Free State man, 
I 'jumped a claim' held by a man named Frasier, a non-resident 
of Kansas. We notified this person that we had 'jumped his 
claim/ and as we did not wish to take any undue advantage of 
him, would give it up if he could show any legal right to the 
land in question. We afterwards discovered that Frasier had 
sold this claim to one Jacob Branson, then residing in Missouri 
but formerly from Indiana. This we learned from Branson him- 
self, who came out forthwith to Hickory Point (I had known 
Branson while in Kansas City), I remarked to Branson that I 
had taken the Frasier claim ; he replied : ' I have bought that 
claim from Frasier, and paid him fifty dollars for it, and I intend 
to have it.' I then said to Branson, that the claim in question 
was forfeited by Frasier's non-compliance with ' the Squatter 
Laws/ and that I was willing to submit it to arbitration. This 



COLEMAN QUARRELS WITH BRANSON. 225 

he refused, stating that if the laws took a man's claim away he 
would defend himself and have his claim, or ' die right where he 
was.' I then closed our interview by telling him that it was not 
worth our while to talk about it. On the morning following this 
conversation, Branson came (during my absence), to my house, 
with a wagon-load of household stuff, accompanied by Louis 
Farley, a Free State man from Indiana — Mr. Banks and a 
young man named Graves — a Free-soiler — were the only men 
at my house on the occasion of Branson's visit. Branson and 
his companion tried to force his property into my dwelling. 
Banks requested them to let their goods stand until they could 
send for me ; he did so, and I came immediately. Upon enter- 
ing my house, Branson and Farley being within, I reminded 
Branson that he had said that ' he would have my claim or die 
upon it.' I then drew a single-barrelled pistol from under the 
head of the bed and told him that I should defend myself, and 
if he was determined to settle the matter in that way, I was pre- 
pared to do so. Farley then attempted to mediate between us. 
During this conversation, Branson kept his hand upon an 
'Allen's revolver' which he had with him in his pocket, but 
made no motion to draw the weapon, nor did I threaten him 
with my pistol, further than to exhibit it as a proof of my inten- 
tion to protect myself. I cannot remember the precise date of 
this difficulty; I think it occurred in November, 1854. Branson 
and myself then agreed to compromise the matter by submitting 
our difficulties to an arbitration. This was accordingly done, 
and the arbitrators, twelve in number, and mostly Pro-Slavery 
men, decided against my partner and myself, insomuch, that 
instead of allowing our claim to the whole Frasier tract, amount- 
ing to two hundred and forty acres, they awarded one hundred 
and sixty acres to Branson as his proportion. Branson then 
promised, in the presence of the arbitrators, to measure off his 
share. But this he subsequently refused to do. Banks and 

10* 



226 white's cabin burnt. 

myself then reminded him of his agreement to submit to the 
decision of the arbitrators, adding that we desired peace. He 
said that he did not crave oar friendship, and that we should 
never have a single foot of the lumber which grew upon the 
greater part of the claim. He then stated that he had measured 
the entire ' Frasier claim/ with one of his neighbors, and found 
it to contain but one hundred and twenty acres — called us a set 
of base thieves, who had swindled him out of his rights, and with 
whom he wished to have no intercourse, etc. We then parted 
for our several homes. 

" Banks, Graves, and myself then measured off the claim, 
allotting to Branson his full proportion (all timber land) of 160 
acres, and marking the boundary line which divided our claim. 
This division was never accepted by Branson. He still claimed 
the whole tract. Branson then turned his attention to strength- 
ening the Free State party — to which he himself belonged — in 
the vicinity of Hickory Point. This he did by encouraging 
Free State men to settle about him, giving them timber from 
his land, and informing them of vacant claims. In pursuance 
of this object, he and his friends invited a man named Dow, an 
Ohioan and Abolitionist, to occupy a claim adjoining my own. 
This claim rightly belonged to one William White, of Westport, 
Mo., a Pro-Slavery man, who had made some improvements on 
it, and therefore held it under the ' Squatter Laws.' The 
' improvement ? was a log-cabin, which was burnt down by the 
Free State party, on or about the day of Dow's arrival at 
Hickory Point. Dow then entered upon White's claim and 
commenced building. Upon this, twelve men of the Pro-Slavery 
party at Hickory Point, I being one of their number, waited 
upon Dow, to inquire into the 'jumping' of White's claim, and 
the burning of his house. We accused Dow of being accessory 
to the act. He asserted his innocence as regarded the destruc- 
tion of White's cabin. Upon being asked if he was not aware 



BRANSON AND DOW THREATEN COLEMAN. 227 

of the intention of the Free State people to destroy it, he 
answered that that was his business, and none of ours. I then 
observed to him, that as ray claim adjoined his, I would be his 
nearest neighbor, and should be very sorry to suspect that the 
man who lived next to me could be guilty of such an act, but as 
he had affirmed his innocence, as regarded the burning of White's 
house, I would (if it proved to be true), be a kind neighbor to 
him, and added that he was welcome to visit at my house if he 
wished to come. He thanked me, and we parted. These 
occurrences took place during the winter of 1854 and '55, and 
from this date up to the very day on which I killed Dow, I met 
him on several occasions, and always in a friendly manner, 
although I had at various times heard of his threatening me. 

"In July or August of 1855, a branch of the Kansas Free 
State secret military organization was established among the 
Free State settlers around Hickory Point. Branson being 
their commander. Not long after this, I learned that he had not 
only threatened to use this force to put down and set at deflance 
the Territorial laws, but had stated, on several occasions, that he 
had an old grudge to settle with me — that he would like to meet 
me — that I should not live in the Territory, but that he would 
have his revenge before I quitted it, &c. It was also reported to 
me, some four days previous to my rencounter with Dow, that he 
(Dow), had declared that 'he would beat my d — d brains out, 
if I went into the grove ' — on my own claim — ' to cut timber.' 
I was also warned by a Free State man, a friend of mine named 
Spar, ' that my life was in danger from the ill will harbored 
against me by Branson and Dow.' 

11 On, or about the 27th of November, 1855, between 11 and 12 
o'clock a. m., I was at work making a lime-kiln, on my claim, in 
company with a young man named Harvey Moody. — Moody 
is a Free State man — I had been busy there since early in the 
morning, as I had been for several days previous. Dow came to 



228 COLEMAN DRIVEN FROM HIS CLAIM. 

the place where we were working ; he was alone, and apparently- 
unarmed. He quarrelled with me about my claim — said he 
intended to stop our working there, and after making several 
threats left. I continued on with my work. In a short time 
after this visit from Dow, Moody called out to me, ' Here comes 
Branson and Dow.' On looking up I saw them approaching, 
armed with Sharpe's rifles. Both Moody and myself were 
entirely unarmed. I immediately left my claim without waiting 
for them to come up, for it was my belief that they intended to 
kill me, and were then coming upon me with arms in their hands 
for that purpose. Moody, being a Free State man, remained at 
his work. Moody has since informed me that on coming up they 
ordered him from the claim, stating that they would not hurt 
him ' this time/ but if they caught him there again, they would 
do him an injury ; they furthermore said, that they 'just wanted 
to see me, and asked Moody where I was ? to which he replied, 
that ' I had gone home.' Upon hearing this, Dow took his 
gun and followed me. Moody states it as his belief, that they 
would have killed me if I had stayed for their coming. From 
my claim, I went immediately to the house of Mr. Hargis, a 
Pro-Slavery man, whose claim bordered upon my own, informed 
him of my being ordered off, and begged him, as I did not wish 
to trespass upon my neighbors, to come to my house that after- 
noon and assist me in establishing the dividing lines between his 
(Hargis) and my claim : this he promised to do. I then armed 
myself with a double-barrelled fowling-piece, loaded with buck- 
shot, intending upon going back to my work, to defend myself 
if again interfered with, and returned to Hargis's house, who 
had promised to accompany me, as above stated, that afternoon, 
with Buckley, a Pro-Slavery man, and one or two others, to 
assist in establishing the lines between Hargis and myself. Upon 
reaching Hargis's house, Buckley said that he was going to a 
whisky-store which stands opposite a blacksmith's shop, on the 



COLEMAN ARMS HIMSELF. 229 

Santa Fe trail, and which was half a mile distant from Harris's. 
Buckley desired us not to wait for him, as he would meet us at 
my house, and left accordingly. Finding that my friends were 
detained longer than I had anticipated, I concluded to go out 
and see if I could discover anything of Buckley. In doing so, I 
passed by the house of William McKinney ; here I found McKin- 
ney engaged in building a chimney, and stopped to talk with 
him for a short time. Not seeing anything of Buckley, I started 
for home, and had continued on for a hundred and fifty yards, or 
thereabouts, when I entered the Santa Fe trail ; as I did so, I 
came most unexpectedly upon Dow, who was walking along the 
road, in the same direction as that in which I was going. On 
approaching him, he turned his head, and waited for me to come 
up. He was unarmed, with the exception of a wagon-skien — a 
piece of iron some two feet in length, and a most dangerous 
weapon in the hands of so powerful and determined a man as 
Dow is represented to have been. — Dow then entered into con- 
versation with me about the claim difficulty, and continued to 
use hard language upon this subject until we had walked together 
as far as my house, which stands off the Santa Fe road about 
15 yards. We must have gone side by side for some 400 or 500 
yards. During this conversation I urged him to compromise 
the matter, as I did not wish to have any trouble with my 
neighbors. When we got opposite to my dwelling, I moved off 
the road to go towards home. Dow walked on his way for a 
few paces, and then turned round and re-commenced quarrelling, 
high words passed, and Dow advanced upon me with the wagon- 
skien, which he was carrying in his hand, raising it as he did so, 
in an attitude to strike. I levelled my gun as he came on, 
brought it to bear upon him, and pulled the trigger ; the cap explo- 
ded but not the charge. Dow then paused, and turned as if to 
go away. Seeing this, I put my gun down upon the grouud, which 
Dow had no sooner perceived than he faced towards me, and 



230 COLEMAN KILLS DOW. 

again advanced upon me with the skien, at the same time 
crying out, with an oath, ' You've bursted one cap at 
me, and you'll never live to burst another ;' hearing this, and 
believing that my life was in danger, I again levelled my gun 
and fired upon him, as he came rushing on ; the shot struck him 
(as I have since ascertained) in the neck and breast, and he 
fell — dead. 

K I did not go up to the body ; but went immediately to my 
house, and told my wife that I had killed Dow; that I had been 
forced into it, having no other alternative to save my own life. 
I told her not to be uneasy about me ; that I was going to sur- 
render myself up to be tried, and had no fears for the conse- 
quences, as my conscience acquitted me of any blame, I having 
acted only in self defence. 

11 Though I was not at the time aware of it, this transaction 
was seen by my friends Hargis and Moody, and also by a man 
named Wagoner, a Missourian, who happened to be in their 
company at the time. Wagoner is an enemy of mine. They 
were then on their way to 'kill a beef in the timber not very 
far from my house, at which Hargis and Moody intended (as 
before stated), to stop, as they passed, and assist Buckley and 
myself in running the lines between ray claim and that of Har- 
gis in accordance with my request. 

" In the evening several persons came to my house, and advised 
me, for fear of the Free State secret military organization — of 
which, as I have before mentioned, Branson, Dow's friend was 
one of the commanders — to leave the neighborhood. I at first 
declined to go, stating, as a reason for so doing, that such an 
act might be construed into a desire on my part to elude the 
officers of justice. They then suggested that I should deliver 
myself up to Governor Shannon, or some other fit person, at a 
distance from the scene of difficulty, where they believed that 
I would not only be in great personal danger, but have no 



COLEMAN GIVES HIMSELF UP. 231 

chance to obtain an impartial hearing. I finally yielded to their 
entreaties, and left that night for Shawnee Mission, Governor 
Shannon's residence, which I reached upon the ensuing day, and 
immediately — in the temporary absence of the governor — deli- 
vered myself up to S. J. Jones, the sheriff of Douglas County 
(in which the killing took place), who happened to be in the 
vicinity of the Mission at the time of my arrival. Upon the 
return of Governor Shannon, His Excellency directed Sheriff 
Jones to convey me in custody to Lecompton, the county seat 
of Douglas, which he did. On my arrival there I was dis- 
charged upon giving bail to the amount of five hundred dol- 
lars, and am now only awaitiug the assembling of a court to 
stand my trial." 

We have read our fair copy of this paper over to Coleman, 
who endorses it as being entirely correct. 

The so-called "murderers" statement is now before the 
reader, nor do we intend to add either note or comment save 
this. 

So far as we could judge from Coleman's impartial and dis- 
passionate manner while stating these alleged facts, we should 
say that he really believed what he was telling us. Whether 
his narrative will or will not be sustained by evidence must be 
proven on his trial by the testimony adduced. It will soon be 
settled by a judicial inquiry ; and, in the meanwhile, we have 
no disposition to influence public opinion either for or against 
the accused. 

Coleman is considered a rather good-looking man, of " gen- 
teel appearance," with dark hair and beard ; he is about five 
feet eleven in height ; is called amiable in his disposition, and 
has a wife and two children at present residing some four 
miles from Westport, Mo., whither they have fled for fear of 
the Free State party at Hickory Grove. 

Governor Shannon informs us that he had commissioned 



232 COLEMAN DECLINES BEING A JUSTICE. 

Coleman as a Justice of the Peace just previous to the killing 
of Dow ; his credentials, however, although made out and 
signed, had not yet been forwarded when the rencounter took 
place. Coleman has declined to receive this commission, in 
accordance with the suggestion of Governor Shannon, until his 
conduct in killing Dow has been judicially investigated and 
decided upon. 



OUR OVER-DRESSED COMPANION. 233 



CHAPTER XXIY 

FOR LAWRENCE DIRECT. 

Dec. 30. — Morning, at " old man" Harris's — breakfast over, 
and our travelling conveyance, a buggy with two livery-stable 
mules — mere rats — at the door. " Our Correspondent" wad- 
dles forth, equipped to encounter the cold weather in its most 
cutting form — that is to say, in a ride across the snow-covered 
and unsheltered prairies of Kansas. Let us give you an inside 
peep at his nether integuments. Imprimis — he has put on two 
pairs of woollen socks, ditto of drawers, ditto of pantaloons, 
item two coats, item an overcoat, item buffalo overshoes, 
gloves covered inside and out with fur, and a comforter whose 
intricate folds leave only one eye visible. As for the Major, 
he was so completely enveloped in buckskins — not to mention 
under-rigging — that he almost literally carried his wardrobe 
upon his back ; indeed he was over-dressed — a fact which he was 
destined to prove to his own satisfaction, as well as ours, by a 
tumble in the snow, where be lay kicking like a huge green tur- 
tle when you place it upon its back — until we were enabled to 
restrain our laughter sufficiently to rescue our friend from a 
predicament where he might have kicked till " the crack of 
doom," had no person been at hand to render assistance. Our 
first halt was at Shawnee Mission, where Governor Shannon 
wished us God-speed and a happy deliverance ; and from thence 
we whipped up our lazy beasts, beguiling the tediousness of the 



234 THE OLD PRIEST. 

way with song and jest, and merry stories of frontier expe- 
riences, until the twilight hour brought us to Donaldson's, dis- 
tant from Wcstport by eleven miles — for our start was a late 
one, and we had consumed the greater part of the day in our 
halt at the Mission. 

Besides the usual inmates of Donaldson's house — who is him- 
self a gruff, and not particularly prepossessing frontiersman — 
we found the remainder of our own party, consisting of Doctor 
Rodrigue, of Lecompton ; his son, a young man of some twenty 
years of age ; and a daughter, quite a pretty girl, who, if we 
guess the young lady's age correctly, was only sweet sixteen, and 
just about to encounter the hardships of a first trip across the 
Border. There was yet another member of the Doctor's family, 
who merits something more than what the "Home Journal" 
used to call " mere mention." He was, if report is to be 
credited, a man of many fortunes — a Prussian by birth, who had 
seen real service in European wars, where he had worn his epau- 
lets on many a hard-fought field ; he told us, moreover, that he 
was present when the poet-soldier, Korner, he of " the Lyre and 
Sword," received his death wound, and assisted at his burial j 
he says Korner was killed by a prisoner, who fired upon him 
from a baggage-wagon, with a musket, which had been left 
carelessly within his reach. 

But our Prussian had laid down his military rank for ever, 
and taken up, instead (no uncommon change by the way) the 
vows and habit of a Roman Catholic priest ; indeed, it is not 
improbable that, as the Doctor and his family were enthusiastic 
followers of that persuasion, that he may have been accompany- 
ing their party as their Father confessor and spiritual guide. 
But we could not help thinking, as we gazed upon those strongly 
marked features, and that yet powerful, though now somewhat 
time-bowed form, that the priesthood had spoiled a good dragoon, 
and that the padre, like pious Friar Tuck, might still handle the 



THE SILENT BLESSING. 235 

quarterstaff quite as effectually as his breviary. Yet there was 
something touching, too — when we went to take our homely eve- 
ning meal, in the fire-lighted apartment, which was both kitchen 
and supper-room — in the attitude of this war-worn old veteran, 
as he stood for a moment beside his chair, while he bent his 
head, and asked a silent blessing upon our food. It was, in- 
deed, just such a picture as some of the grand old master'3 
would have loved to paint. The man was a study in himself ; 
and the rough cabin, with its yet more unpolished accessories, 
just the surroundings for a highly-finished interior of the Flem- 
ish school. 

Supper was over ; we had drawn our chairs nearer to the 
open fire-place ; the winter night was dark without, and the 
blazing brands threw a cheerful glow upon the inmates of Don- 
aldson's best sitting-room ; the old priest had produced his short 
pipe, and tobacco-bag, and was now smoking placidly, with his 
dark eyes looking so intently the while at the glowing embers 
upon the hearth, that we almost fancied he must be reading 
some day-dream of the past in their ever-changing forms. The 
Major too, had divested himself of one or two courses of cloth- 
ing, at least, so far as to permit of his bending his short, stout 
legs without outside assistance ; and we, "The Correspondent," 
were trying vainly to get what is called a corn-eob pipe to 
draw, which, by the way, is a peculiarly Western institution, 
made by digging out the inside of a piece of cob, and then intro- 
ducing a hollow reed for the stem, when the quick gallop of a horse's 
feet over the frozen ground, and a hallo from without, announced 
the arrival of another guest, who entered forthwith, in the per- 
son of a tall, athletic, and thoroughly benumbed-looking young 
man, who strode up to the fire-place, threw back his cloak, and 
extended his chilled hands towards the blazing log heap. 

As he approached more closely to the fire-place, Major Clarke 
glanced at the new comer, and with a " How are you, Doak V 



236 BAD NEWS FOR THE MAJOR. 

at once grasped him by the baud. It was his brother-in-law, 
who had left " House on the Prairie," the Major's residence, 
that morning, and had ridden thus far on his road to Westport, 
whither he was going to meet the Major ; to whom he was the 
bearer of important letters, containing intelligence of an alarm- 
ing and highly irritating nature. One of these epistles was 
from Doctor Johnson, of whom we have already spoken as having 
been shot at by some would-be-assassin, on one or two occasions, 
but without effect. The other was from the Major's wife, with 
whom we had the pleasure of a very brief acquaintance, during 
our visit at her house, which, slight as it was, gave us a very 
high opinion of the good sense and true feminine courage of our 
fair hostess. 

Doctor Johnson's letter, of which the Major very kindly per- 
mitted us to make a copy, reads as follows ; — 

House ok the Prairie, Kansas Territorx-, December 30, 1S55. 
Dear Major : 

Rufus, the bearer of this letter, will inform you that matters 
are fast coming to a desperate conclusion with us — a crisis which requires 
both prompt and energetic action is approaching. 

Your family are not safe here even for a single night. Your house is 
watched as though it were a den of thieves. Your dog has disappeared ; we 
presume he has been decoyed away and killed to prevent his giving an alarm. 
One of your carriage horses has been poisoned, and, in addition to this, an 
attempt was made to fire your house. This occurred last night, between 
twelve and one o'clock a.m. It was fortunate that we discovered the fire before 
it was too late ; we were but just in time to save the building. Had it been 
otherwise, God only knows what would have become of your family ; for, 
even supposing that they had escaped the flames, they would have been 
exposed to the danger of perishing in the bitter cold of this inclement 
season, ere they could have reached the nearest neighbor's house. (Major 
Clarke's residence is three-quarters of a mile from any house, and the mer- 
cury at the time stood at twenty degrees below zero, and it would have 
been almost a miracle, under such circumstances, if they had escaped freez- 
ing.) But to come to the point : you cannot live here ; it is risking too 
much ; the very existence of your family is at stake ; your own fife is 



AN ATTEMPT TO FIRE CLARKE'S DWELLING. 23 1 

in imminent danger ; yon would not be safe here — no, not for a single day. 
If you were here it would only aggravate the evil. For God's sake, remove 
your family. Take them to Missouri, or up among the Pottawatomie 
Indians. They would be safe there. Your property, too, is in imminent 
danger. 

Every day brings the intelligence of some new act of outrage — house- 
burnings, brutal threatcnings, and attempted assassinations. How can we 
go on living thus, in God's name? Is there no law in Kansas? To whom 
are we to look for aid ? How is all this to end ? Are our lives to be menaced 
— is our property to be destroyed — and are women and children to be driven 
from their desolated homes, without the upraising of an arm to stay the per- 
petrators of these acts of lawless violence ? Is there no power vested in our 
Governor — no protection to be obtained from the Executive ? Or must the 
law-abiding citizens of Kansas be driven into the terrible alternative of 
defending, by Lynch law and armed violence, their homes and firesides ? If 
Ave have laws why are they not enforced ? Something must be done for our 
relief, and that speedily. 

The foregoing is all which would be interesting to the reader. 
It is written by Dr. George W. Johnson, who is — as we have 
elsewhere stated — a son of Governor Johnson of Virginia. A 
postscript from William H. Doak, Esq., a brother-in-law of 
Major Clarke's — the bearer of the documents being named 
Rufus — endorses and corroborates the foregoing statements, and 
adds that they are going to get some of their neighbors to assist 
in defending Major Clarke's house until arrangements can be 
made for the removal of his family. 

The letter from Mrs. Clarke is of similar import. 

Major Clarke's residence is at present occupied by two fami- 
lies — this has been the case since the breaking out of the Kansas 
troubles. Among its inmates may be numbered two females and 
five small children. Had they been left houseless, on the bitter 
night of December thirtieth, to find their way through the 
frozen snow to the nearest dwelling (three-quarters of a mile 
distant), it is most probable that some of these little ones would 



238 LYNCH LAW THREATENED. 

have fallen victims to the terrible state of things which now 
exists in some sections of Kansas. 

The facts connected with this incendiary attempt, as related 
to us by Mr. Rufus Doak, the bearer of the letters, are these : 

Between 12 and 1 o'clock on the morning of the thirtieth of 
December, Mr Doak and Dr. Johnson were awakened by the 
appearance of smoke and a smell as if of burning tar in the 
room in which they were sleeping. They immediately arose, 
and on making examination discovered fire under one of the 
rooms, adjoining that in which Major Clarke's family were sleep- 
ing. They found, upon looking, that the underpinning of this 
portion of the house (a frame one) had been removed, and a 
fire of light wood sticks built underneath. To render the 
destruction of the house more certain, other combustibles were 
placed in such a position as to feed the flames. An outbuilding 
also filled with hay, gathered from a neighboring stack. This 
had been ignited, but did not burn out — probably from the hay 
having being wet with snow. The flames were discovered just 
in time to save the house. 

Major Clarke and Dr. Johnson are the only persons living in 
the vicinity of Lawrence who signed the address to the people, 
recently published by the " Law and Order Convention," which 
assembled at Leavenworth City in November last. 

MIDNIGHT. 

P. S. — Information has just reached us from a reliable source, 
that a party of Major Clark's neighbors, well-meaning, but 
inconsiderate men, have it in contemplation to turn out, investi- 
gate the affair thoroughly, arrest the suspected persons, and if 
sufficient evidence be adduced, lynch the offenders. A man 
named Jones is more particularly threatened. We understood 
that it was in contemplation to tie him up and whip him into a 
confession. Major Clarke has, however, with great good sense, 



FOR DREAMLAND DIRECT. 239 

determined to discountenance any act on the part of the Pro- 
Slavery people, which might even be construed into an attempt 
to take the law into their own hands. He will use every ex- 
ertion to bring the perpetrators of these unauthorized acts to 
justice, but will do so in a strictly legal way. We shall continue 
our journey at daybreak — he to repress any ill-judged demon- 
stration on the part of his neighbors, whose indignation — he tells 
us— has been highly excited by these repeated attempts to do 
him injury ; and we to gather facts which will enable us to 
report " the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," 
without fear, favor, or affection. It is to be feared, however, 
that the Major will arrive too late. 

Ere our dispatch was concluded, the four inches of candle 
— which our amiable host, with a shrewd eye to economy, had 
declared, was enough, as he reckoned, for all thar pen-work 
that we would want to do — were almost burned down, and as its 
last line was written, fairly flickered in the socket. We hesitated 
for a moment; listened to the deep-drawn snores of our neighbors, 
and then doffed our outer garments, and after groping about for 
a while in a sort of Egyptian darkness (though, for that matter, we 
never could understand why it should be darker in Egypt than 
anywhere else), found our way to the unoccupied half of the 
Major's feather-bed, where we burrowed in, so utterly wearied 
both in mind and body, that we were in the far-oif land of dreams 
almost upon the instant that our tired head touched the pillow. 



240 



CHAPTER XXV. 

NEW YEAR'S EVE BY A LOG-CABIN HEARTH. 

December 31st, the last day of poor old 1855. — And very early, 
in this Polar Region, of a winter morning to boot. But early as 
it is, we should have been on our way full an hour ago, had we 
not been delayed by the stupidity of one of Donaldson's negroes, 
who has been chasse-ing up and down half an acre of timber, in 
pursuit of our mule-rats, who, though lazy enough in the har- 
ness, would seem to be more than sufficiently vivacious when 
released from its thraldom. 

Nine o'clock. — Off at last, with a freezing wind blowing 
keenly, and a twenty miles' ride before us to Bean's on the 
Wakarusa, where we expect to pass the night ; our way laid for 
the most part over long ridges of prairie ; the dreariest of 
dreary winter roads ; but the Major and myself had made up 
our minds to " 'joy ourselves," as the darkeys say at Christmas 
time ; and after our fashion, we did, for we begun singing songs 
most awfully out of tune, and telling all sorts of " yarns," and 
managed to keep even with the unpropitious weather, until 
within five miles of our stopping-place, and then Jack Frost got 
the better of us ; we grew silent ; the Major swore he was 
"most froze," and not another word-was spoken, except to the 
mules, and only then in the way of admonition, until " Our 
Correspondent " was aroused from the half sleeping state into 
which he had fallen, by an imitation of a Pottawatomie war- 



A SWEET. SUNSHINY FACE. 241 

hoop from the Major, and a cry of " Thank the Lord, there's 
Bean's cabin at last," as we drove up to the rail fence which 
formed its apology for an enclosure. We had not been housed 
over half an hour when Doctor Rodrigue's ambulance arrived, 
and reinforced our party by the addition of its hungry and half- 
frozen inmates. 

New Year's eve. — We are all gathered about the fire in the 
already described best room of Bean's log-cabin " hotel;" and bad 
is the best here. There is a huge fire upon the hearth, and we 
draw our chairs as closely up to it as the number of the circle 
to be warmed will permit. It is certainly a very mixed assem- 
bly — this impromptu New Year's eve party of ours — such an 
one, indeed, as is only united by chance. Let us give you a few 
of the principal heads. 

And first for the ladies, " God bless them," say we to-night, 
wherever they may be, by log-cabin hearths or in city chambers, 
whether high or low, rich or poor, matron or maid, once more 
we say God bless them all, for they shall be included in our toast 
to-night, if Bean's whisky be sufficiently drinkable to permit of 
our " wishing luck " in a glass of the beverage to old, dying 
1855, ere he makes his midnight flitting for parts unknown. 

But let's return to the ladies. Mistress Bean, a fat, mid- 
dle-aged, and withal right good-natured body, occupies a cosy 
seat, if such a thing is to be found in an apartment which 
admits the wintry blast at every nook and cranny, even without 
counting the windows that the red cow knocked her horn 
through some ten days syne. 

The corner opposite to our stout hostess is graced by the pre- 
sence of the fair Miss Rodrigue, whose sweet, sunshiny face, 
shaded by a profusion of dark brown hair, and yet girlish form, 
would seem more in keeping with the superfluities of a metropo- 
litan drawing-room, than with the rude furniture and very pri- 
mitive residence of our landlord, Mr. Bean. Beside Miss 

11 



242 PEN AND INK PORTRAITS. 

Rodrigue sits her father, a short, slenderly-built, keen-eyed and 
almost raven-haired man, with military whiskers, and an intellec- 
tual brow, whose manner is that of a polished gentleman, not 
the gentleman of the saloons, but that of a man who has seen 
the world, knows life thoroughly, and has studied mankind, 
until mankind has become a readable book. He is, therefore, 
quite at his ease, and can accommodate himself to the eccentricities 
of those about him, without stepping out of his own calm digni- 
fied style. To the Doctor, circumstances are slaves — not masters. 

Then we have Doctor Rodrigue's son, and his father confessor, 
the old soldier-priest, who have already had their sittings for our 
pen and ink portraits. And then we must not forget our com- 
panion of the road, the Major, who sits nursing his leg — 
the very picture of drollery and good-heartedness — and peering 
into the blaze, as if he had just caught the profile of some new- 
born comicality which he was imaging forth among the red-eyed 
coals. 

Then, there's " old man Bean," who was once a soldier — one 
of Harney's dragoons on the Indian frontier, years ago, who will 
tell you still that the old General can swear a little harder, and 
fight a little faster than any man of his feet and inches — some 
six feet three — whom he has ever looked upon before or since. 
And then last, but very far from least, there's " Our Cor- 
respondent," a long, thin, high-browed every-day specimen of 
New Yorker humanity — bearded — in the absence of the barber- 
ous — like a pard, of whom the least said the soonest mended. 

And now, as we have somewhat minutely introduced our 
dramatis 'persona, to your notice, we will endeavor to increase 
the reader's obligation by telling him something of what they 
say, and as we intend to treat their talk very much in the same 
way as you may compliment these, our scribblings — by skimming 
it, don't quarrel with us if our report should come to you in a 
somewhat disjointed and fragmentary style. For we will ven- 



THE RESIGNED LIEUTENANT. 243 

ture to say that an evening's chat never took a wider ran-e 
than did our fire-side conversation upon the New Year's Eve of 
1856— for the subject treated, and not badlv treated either in 
some instances, comprised the state of the country, politics 
more particularly those of Kansas Territory— « the war"— 
from a recapitulation of which may prudence deliver us— Spiritu- 
alism— ghost stories, strange coincidences, Border life— crops 
Indians, and Divinity, with now and then, some sly allusions to 
New York modes and manners, with all their extravagance of 
hoops, flounces, and flirtations. So we cry place for a°yarn or 
two, and as politics leads the van of our multiplicity of heading 
we will introduce anecdote No. 1., which is a veritable yarn' 
by which we mean not a made-up lie— a fiction founded upon 
falsehood, but a dressed up truth which came to us in a home- 
spun garb. Are we to be blamed, then, if we should present it 
to you in a silken gown ? It may be called 

POLITICAL ADVICE GRATIS. 

We would recommend the following to politicians goino- West 
and especially to those who are about visiting Kansas 

There was, once upon a time, a certain lieutenant in the navy 
of Uncle Sam, who, like a sensible man, came finally to- the con- 
clusion that -going down to the sea in ships" was a hnmba- 
and ' doing business upon the great waters" a very great bore' 
in short, he resigned, and as republics are proverbially ungrate- 
ful, found it necessary to seek out some new field of action in 
which to mow a living for himself; he cogitated deeply, for it 
was an important step ; his "bread and butter" were in the scale 
and it is hardly to be wondered at that "the inexhaustible 
resources of the growing West" should have kicked the beam 
m the choice of location, the more so as there are great open- 
ings for business-hunting young men in '? those diggings," even 
without counting the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Well our 



244 POLITICAL ADYICE GRATIS. 

resigned lieutenant made up his mind to emigrate, and was 
seriously engaged iu making the necessary preparations for so 
doing, when an old politician, a warm friend of our sailor's, 
dropped in to give him some farewell advice. 

" My dear ," said he, " you are going West. It is 

a great country — a wonderful country. You are young and en- 
terprising ; you will enter into political life, and in all human 
probability be elected to Congress. Now, let me give you a few 
practical hints, which you will find invaluable in stumping it 
among the " Hoosiers," they are the result of twenty years' work- 
ing in the political harness. I adopted them as my sheet anchors 
for the last fifteen years of that period, and my only regret is 
that I didn't do so during the first five. They are easy to learn 
and not hard to practise, for as ' brevity is the soul of wit,' I 
reduced the whole matter to these three simple rules : 

"1. In the Western country never tell a lie politically, for you 
are sure to be found out — therefore be honest." 

"2. In the Western country never tell the truth politically, for 
somebody will be ass enough to dispute with you, which leads to 
argument — therefore don't." 

" 3. In the Western country never have anything to do with sta- 
tionery politically — meaning thereby, pen, ink and paper — for it 
leads to writing, which is the most irretrievable error of all, 
for though that which is spoken may be denied — that which is 
written — can't be — therefore eschew writing as you would the 
Devil." 

Whether our resigned lieutenant followed these very excellent 
suggestions, and went to Congress from some border district as 
a running commentary upon their worth, we are most unfortu- 
nately not able to say — that he prospered pecuniarily we doubt 
not, for who does not know that Jack never fares better than 
when " you turn him out to grass." 

Under the Theological head of our New Year's Eve log-cabin- 



THE JOLLY MAN'S STORY. 245 

fire chat, v we remember nothing more edifying than the following, 
which its narrator, the Jolly Man, may, for aught we know 
to the contrary, have cribbed from the " splinters " of some 
obscure Far Western country newspaper ; but cribbed or not, it 
isn't bad, and moreover, it was related to us as being strictly 
true ; the reader may therefore regard it as a veritable incident in 
the life of a distinguished man, who united great talents with a 
considerable amount of eccentricity. But the Jolly Man shall 
tell his own story in his own way, without further preamble from 
us. He calls it : 

FANATICISM REBUKED — AN ANECDOTE OF AARON BURR. 

" It was on a bright Sabbath morning, and in a certain rural 
village, which, for convenience sake, shall be called Mud Hollow, 
that the incident occurred which I am about to relate. The 
1 church-going bell ' had ceased ringing, and the little wooden 
meeting-house was already crowded to excess, for a 'revival' 
was going on, and all Mud Hollow was on fire with the anxiety 
of its people for the welfare of their souls. While things were 
in this truly commendable condition, the church-door opened 
gently, and an aged man walked noiselessly in — he paused for a 
moment as he entered, and looked timidly round, as if seeking 
for a vacant pew, but the worshippers in that immediate vicinity 
were all too busily engaged in listening to a ' fire and brimstone ' 
delineation of the horrors to be expected in the worse world to 
come — which a very Methodistical-looking personage, a vinegar- 
faced compound of white neck-handkerchief and hymn book, was 
delivering in the most approved sledge-hammer style — to pay any 
particular attention to the advent of a new arrival. Aaron 
Burr, for such was the old man's celebrated name, accordingly 
continued on, and was walking, hat in hand, up the narrow, 



24:6 AN ANECDOTE OF AARON BURR. 

middle aisle, to seek out, perchance, some more charitable 
Christian, who might be moved bj the grey-haired stranger's 
feeble appearance to offer him the courtesy of a resting-place. 
But if such were his expectation it was doomed to be disap- 
pointed, for Burr found himself obliged to continue on, and 
wan still advancing, though the ' anxious benches 1 were close at 
hand, when the preacher paused abruptly in his harangue, 
extended his hand and cried out, as he pointed the fore-finger 
directly at his venerable hearer : 

" ' Thar — thar comes a child of the Devil — a hoary-headed sin- 
ner — and ef he don't repent and turn from the error of his ways, 
he'll be damned — damned — damned to the lowest depths of fiery 
perdition, and I shall bear witness against him before the Judg- 
ment Seat of God.' 

*' The effect of this outburst seemed electrical. Burr stopped 
short in his tracks as if struck with a sudden paralysis. But 
his moment of astonishment, or it may be of speechless indigna- 
tion, at the indignity which had just been offered him, was soon 
over, for in an instant his course of action was decided upon, as, 
raising his trembling right arm to enforce attention, he proceeded 
to rebuke the impertinence of the ill-bred fanatic, who had so 
gratuitously insulted him, in the following words, and it is said 
that you might have heard a pin fall, in the intense silence of 
that over-crowded building, as the startled audience listened 
eagerly to their delivery : 

" ' Ladies and Gentlemen,' said Burr, ' with your good par- 
son's permission, I should be pleased if you would permit me to 
say a very few words. You may perhaps, be aware, that my life 
has beeu one of many experiences, and I may add that in the 
course of those experiences, it has been my painful, although 
not unusual lot, to come in contact with some scoundrels, but 
among all the villians of whom I have ever heard, or even read 



A WESTERN AMAZON. 24 1 

of in the calenders of human crime, I know none so base — 
so unmitigated — so vile — and so utterly irreclaimable — as the 
transgressor who turns State's Evidence. 7 

11 Need I add, that he of the neck-handkerchief and hymn book 
was ' no whar,' while the sinner was most unanimously voted un- 
worthy of the ' doubly deep damnation, which the reverend gen- 
tleman had so confidently threatened." 

But our fire-side yarns have taken up too much room already, 
for with such a " feast of reason and a flow of soul," as our 
" Wakarusa war," wherewith to regale the reader, we can scarce 
afford to tickle his literary palate with side dishes. So we must 
even deny ourself the pleasure of recording good Mistress Bean's 
very entertaining narrative, of the manner hi which she beat off 
a party of drunken Indians (who insisted on entering her cabin 
by the window, after having been refused admission at the door), 
with a shovel full of red hot coals, which she wielded like an 
Amazon, while her younger sister lay screaming under the bed, 
until the " big Ingin," who led on this riotous crew, fled, yelling, 
from the scene of conflict, with his shirt on fire and an inflamma- 
tion of the chest ; for our buxom hostess " upsot," to use her 
own expression, not only the contents of the shovel, but the 
greater portion of a tea-kettle full of scalding water into the 
breast of the unlucky redskin. 

There was another incident that, we regret to say, is also 
" unavoidably crowded out for want of room " to do its merits 
justice, and this was a wolf-fight, in which a young married 
lady, who hadn't learned the etiquette of the Far Western 
country, and her unfortunate husband, who was stupid enough 
to discharge a gun, which, as his better half assured him, she 
had loaded so carefully that very day, figured considerably. The 
point of the story lies in the fact, that the lady had heard her 
husband say that he put in just three fingers of powder in charg- 
ing the piece ; and so, indeed, had she, the only discrepancy in 



248 KILLING AT BOTH ENDS. 

their calculations being this — that he measured a la hunter — by 
breadth, while she, as women are accustomed to do, calculated 
by length — which, in the end, or, to speak more properly, in the 
chamber, makes all the difference in the world, not only in the 
quantity of powder but in the severity of the recoil ; for, in this 
instance, our well-meaning dame could honestly boast that her 
husband's gun was an improvement upon any known patent, in- 
asmuch as, under her supervision, it might literally be said to 
kill at both ends. 

So much for our New Year's Eve. 

We have jotted down the following conversation, which we 
heard to-day. It was carried on between two " Border Ruf- 
fians," and struck us as being a particularly rich, and withal 
noteworthy, specimen of the peculiar phraseology of the Far West. 

First Borderer. — Jim, what are yeou doing now — busy, hey ? 

Second Borderer. — Busy, thunder ; I'm just that busy, that I 
have to keep a jumping round like a toad under a harrer. 

First Borderer. — How's Bob ? 

Second Borderer. — Oh, Bob's flat broke, as flat as a nigger 
baby's head, rolled under a saw-log. 

First Borderer. — Why, I thought the ole man would have 
kep him up. 

Second Borderer. — So he would ; but Bob's such a no-a- 
count cuss that the ole man jest gin him up, and now he's so 
poor, that if steamboats war a dime a-piece, Bob couldn't buy a 
yawl. 

First Borderer. — How about that fight you had tother day 
with Parsons ? 

Second Borderer. — Wael, I allow it wasn't much of a fight, 
no how ; we didn't reckon nothin' on it, down our way ; it war 
jest a difficulty about a claim that me and some of Parsons' 
boys got inter ; so ole man Parsons jumped me up — but I reckon 
he didn't size my pile. 



OLE MAN PARSONS's FIGHT. 249 

First Borderer. — Did you drop him ? 

Second Borderer. — Well, I did ; but he's a mean cuss ; for 
I hed him down far, and war a gongin' him, when he got this 
hyar right thumb of mine inter his dog-gaun ugly mouth, and 
I'll jest allow ole man Parsons hes got teeth like a bar ; for 
while I war a gougin' him, he kep a chawin' away, as ef my 
thumb war hog meat ; an' now I'll be dog-gauned ef I kin strike 
nary lick with it, without hollerin' like a wild Ingin, with thar 
pain. 

First Borderer. — Wael, ole man Parsons is some — but come 
Jim, let's licker. 

Second Borderer. — Well, now yeou air a talkin' ; for hyar's 
a child that air a heap dryer nor a powder-horn. (Exeunt 
omnes to the grocery). 

Apropos to groceries, an artist friend of ours, who is not, by 
the way, altogether " unknown to fame," tells us the following 
of his road-side experiences in the Far West. He had gone 
upon a sketching tour, and, in the course of his perambula- 
tions, "put up" at a shanty tavern, which rejoiced in a log 
kitchen, one common sleeping room, and a bar. Now our friend, 
strange as it may seem, believed that whisky, in moderation, 
was a healthy drink, and ought, therefore, to be patronized ; so 
having passed one night under his landlord's roof, he entered 
the bar-room, after a late breakfast, and ordered an " eye opener," 
by way of preparation for a hard day's study in the field. Upon 
tendering a dime in payment for his drink, that being the small- 
est coin in his possession, while the current value of the article 
purchased was just half that sum ; the landlord — a long, ague- 
shaken, hard-featured man — searched first one pocket and then 
the other, until breeches, coat, vest, and even an old overcoat, 
which hung upon a peg in the corner, had been thoroughly ran- 
sacked ; but the result was still the same — no effects. The 
landlord seemed bothered ; but his uncertainty soon vanished, 

11* 



GETTING EVEN BY A DOUBLE ENTRY. 250 

for, having quietly faced about, and gone to smoking his corn- 
cob pipe, upon a low rush-bottomed chair beside the stove, he 
finally drawled out these words : — 

" Stranger, the bar owes you half-a-dime. Bob," added he, 
turning to a white-headed urchin, who mixed the drinks, and 
managed the business of the concern in his father's absence, 
" Bob, do you hyar ? the bar owes this hyar stranger half-a- 
dime." 

And then, as if fully satisfied with this ingenious method of 
arranging the account, the landlord drew placidly at his pipe, 
until he may be said to have been enveloped in an atmosphere 
of his own. Our artist, much amused, made his exit and his 
sketches, and upon returning at night, quite wearied with a long 
ramble, he once more stepped up to the bar, and demanded a 
" whisky-straight f the compound was poured out, mixed, and 
swallowed, upon being assured of which, the agueish-looking 
vender turned solemnly to his boy, and gave utterance to this 
very laconic sentence : — 

" Bob, the bar an' this hyar stranger hev got squar !" 

Is not this what a mercantile man would call balancing an 
account by a double entry ? 



new year's day. 251 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

OUR NEW YEAR'S CALL. 

January 1st, 1856. — New-Year's day, and no calls to be 
made ; what a position for a representative of the Knickerbocker 
State — was there ever so great a change ? no white kids — no 
carriage — no nice young ladies with their voluminous skirts and 
sunny smiles — no "compliments of the season" — no tables set 
out — no hot whisky-punch — no fun — no head-ache — no nothing — 
but in lieu of these we caught our first glimpse of New Year's 
morning through the chinks of a poorly-daubed log-cabin, a 
sort of detached chamber for two, where the snow lay almost as 
thick inside as it did out. And now we will beg the reader, 
especially if she be a female reader, to suppose us dressed, and 
then come with us to our wash-stand — it's that tin basin, in 
which we have just broken the ice — you can't miss it — it stands 
on the bench just outside the main cabin ; and now wait a moment 
until we polish ourself off with this frozen board of a towel by 
courtesy, and we will ask you in to the fire — but what's that ? — 
bang — bang — bang — why, don't you know? it's the Far Western 
fashion of welcoming in the New Year. Where's our revolver ? 
pop — pop — pop — there go five loads of powder, and now, as we 
have celebrated the day, let's get in to breakfast. We won't 
invite you to share our repast, but you may kill time profitably 
by watching the glorious doings of old hard-featured Jack Frost, 
who has decked every shrub, and tree, and creeping thing, with 



252 FALLING WEATHER. 

his silver filagree work, and fringed pendants, which glitter and 
sparkle like diamonds on a Northern beauty's brow, as they 
wa?e to and fro in the cold clear sunshine of this bracing winter's 
morning. And now a hiatus of one short hour will find us 
packed and ready to start. But we must first suffer a detention, 
for the roads are " mighty slick,'' as a Kansas teamster would 
say, and the Wakarusa creek, with its steep sides, will " bother 
us right smartly " within the next hundred yards ; it will there- 
fore be hardly worth while to get into our conveyances, until 
their respective drivers have gotten them safely over, so we 
will make our start upon foot, which enables us to give the 
pretty Miss Rodrigue an arm. We begin the descent, and had 
got as far in our conversation by the way, as " Take care, if you 
please, Miss, or you will certainly fall " — when suddenly we expe- 
rienced a sensation (for our buffalo shoes were smooth-soled, and 
the hill-side yet smoother), and, as a natural consequence, our 
heels went up, while our head, in obedience to those unacommo- 
dating laws of gravitation, went down, which brought us to 
the bottom of the " bluff," a descent of some twenty feet, in 
much less time than it takes to write it, where we picked ourself 
up as rapidly as our confusion would permit, with a sort of intui- 
tive consciousness, which was reduced to a dead certainty, by an 
upward glance, that somebody was laughing at us, and that 
somebody, a very nice young lady, whom we had just parted 
from in what a Kentuckian would have styled " a most extra- 
ordinary and radiculous manner.'' But it's just our luck, for 

" We never had a tree or flower, 
Nor walked a slippery bit of ground," 

as the poet has it, without a catastrophe somewhere. Certain it 
is, that we didn't offer to see the " senorita" up the hill as well 
as down, though perhaps, as she had certainly seen us down, it 
would have been nothing more than a fair retaliation, but we 



DOWN AND LAUGHED AT. 253 

confess it, we felt, as we scrambled up the icy slope, that we 
would, in our unchristian frame of mind, have given all our old 
shoe-leather, and something else into the bargain, to have seen 
the damsel follow the example of her " illustrious predecessor." 
But we hoped in vain, for we all, alas ! reached the crest of the 
bank in safety, where we waited for the " buggies," which had 
been obliged to adopt a more circuitous trail, ere they could 
mount the hill up which we, the pedestrians, had with so much 
difficulty won our way. Here we took a fresh start, and bade 
farewell to our fair companion, whose bright eyes looked as mis- 
chievous as only a coquettish woman's eyes can look, when she 
don't want to laugh at you, but can't help it, and hoisted ourself 
into the buggy, in which the stout Major, more overdressed than 
ever, had already stowed himself away. And then on — on — on — 
over the smooth, snow-covered road, through the keen nipping 
air, with the Ice King's' banners waving gorgeously over our 
heads, we sped rapidly upon our way, until the huge trunks and 
leafless branches of the " river bottom " were left behind, and 
we gained once more the open prairie-land. 

The sun of January 1st was not more than three hours high, 
when we trotted into the main street of Franklin, and halted at 
its log-cabin hotel. . Here we " tied up " for a few moments, and in 
company with Mr. Doak, entered a small frame building, labelled 
" Grocery," where we hoped to get a warm, eveu if we didn't 
procure a " warmer." And as such " Groceries " are common 
in the West, we will give the reader — en -passant — a rough 
notion of its furnishing : it was a one-room affair, say, ten feet 
by twelve — or, if anything, smaller — with a counter — a row 
of rough board shelves garnished with a couple of dirty 
decanters, a batch of yet more uncleanly tumblers, and a box 
marked Havanas, which were but too evidently " live-oak penny- 
a-grabs." The stock-in-trade of the establishment, however, 
lay in a couple of barrels which stood in one corner, with a 



254 A GROCERY GROUP. 

spigot in each, marked " Highly-rectified Whisky," with some- 
thing else about " copper" upon them, which we didn't altogether 
understand, but afterwards determined, from a description of 
their contents, to be an abbreviation indicating copperas, or some 
similar ingredient. We have heard a shorter name for the com- 
pound, which, though inelegant, is nevertheless expressive ; tills 
title is nothing more nor less than " rot-gut whisky," with an 
addenda about its " killing forty rods round a corner," which, as 
it is an every-day remark in Missouri, we may possibly have 
told you before. But let us get back to our grocery interior. 
The bar-tender and proprietor was what bar-tenders of his class 
generally are — slightly inebriated ; with no coat on — which, as 
his linen was far from unexceptionable, would have been rather 
an improvement than otherwise — and a strange knack of mixing 
drinks and making change. The company which graced this 
delectable apartment were, to do them justice, quite in keeping 
with the place : a single-eyed chap, with a very red nose, and 
an astonishing pair of legs, sat astride of one of the liquor bar- 
rels — he and they were evidently proved friends — with an old 
weather-beaten hat cocked knowingly over his blind eye, while 
the other seemed fully employed in getting up a series of winks, 
any one of which would have been a fortune to Burton in re 
Toodles. When we entered the room, " Legs " was fiddling 
away — as if his very existence depended upon the accuracy of 
his execution — at that never-failing tune, " The Arkansaw 
Traveller." Next to this worthy, upon a rush-bottomed 
chair, which might as well have had but two legs instead of 
four, for any service required by its present occupant, sat a kin- 
dred spirit, who braced himself against the stove door with his 
right foot, while its companion swung backward and forward, or 
when this motion grew wearisome, varied the monotony by kick- 
ing time vigorously against the floor. 

A filthy, liquor-stained table — extemporized for the occasion 




s -* 



K .0 =3 
§ S 1 






tc £ 

►J to 



J! € 






WE SHOW OUR BREEDING. 255 

by placing a piece of plank across an empty barrel head — at which 
three bad Border specimens were playing what in Mississippi 
river parlance is sometimes called " a friendly game of poker," 
completed the filling up of this miniature pandemonium ; and 
when we add that those who wan't smoking, were for the most 
part swearing " strange oaths and barbarous to hear," we pre- 
sume that we have given the reader a sufficiency of outline, 
which he may fill up or not as his fancy dictates. Yet we were 
very polite to these fellows, for it's just possible, and highly pro., 
bable, withal, that had we given ourself airs, " we mout hev got 
a most all-fired thrashing," but being schooled in Western ways, 
and knowing too, that there is no country where appearances are 
so deceptive as in the Far West, we did just what we should advise 
the reader to do in a similar " crowd" and under like circumstances. 
We stepped in with a " How are you, gentlemen ?" declined an 
invitation to drink, out of respect to our interior economy, but 
compromised the refusal by accepting one of the " live-oak 
penny-a-grab" cigars, which we endeavored to smoke until Mr 
Doak was ready to start, when our " Good morning, gentle 
men," proved us to be " a mighty well-raised young man." 

Once more upon the road, Doak pressed his horse up to the 
side of our vehicle, and as he galloped within whipping distance, 
switched our lazy mule rats into something between a trot and a 
would-be canter, which brought the buggy over the ground at a 
very respectable rate, until we reached the forks of the Lawrence 
road, from which that renowned city is plainly to be seen. Here 
we halted, for it would not have been " healthy," in the then 
excited state of party feeling, for Major Clarke to have entered 
the place. So we parted with mutual good wishes, he to con- 
tinue on to his residence near Lecompton, and we to achieve the 
real celebration of our New Year's day, by walking into the far- 
famed city of Lawrence — " the Athens of Kansas," to quote 
from the Free State people, or "the Gall Bag of the Territory," 



256 A FREE-STATE SETTLER'S HOME. 

if you prefer the Pro-Slavery appellation — where we hoped to 
tread the classic ground, and gaze upon the impregnable fortifi- 
cations of the Sebastopol of the West. 

Our welcome to the exterior of Lawrence at least, was of the 
coldest, for the snow-clad prairie-slopes, the chill December 
blast, and the hoar-frosted woods of the Wakarusa bottom, all 
said mercury at zero, if no worse. Under these depressing cir- 
cumstances we halted, carpet-bag in hand, at the first "improve- 
ment," as they call a house in this country. It was a shanty of 
the " rough and ready " sort, a composite of logs and boards, 
and about the size of an ordinary cow-pen : but we were anxious 
to see the inside of a Yankee settler's hut, so making a drink of 
water an apology, we knocked, was invited in, and entered, and 
a delightful change it was from the uninviting landscape, which 
impressed one so chillingly without. Let us sketch in a pleasant 
interior, rich in warm tints, and lit up by real heart sunshine, 
just such a cozy sceue, in fact, as Dickens would have loved to 
people with his Perrybingles and Cratchits. A nice little woman 
with a bright-eyed baby upon her knee (we have a weakness for 
babies), and a tiny flaxen-haired young lady of some six years 
old, occupied a rude arm-chair and " home manufactured" stool, 
beside the old-fashioned New England cooking-stove. On the 
bed, which half filled the only apartment, that did duty at 
once, as parlor, kitchen, and bed-chamber, sat a diminutive, but 
clever-looking man, who smiled pleasantly as we came in, and 
said, " Sit down," at the same time pointing to a chair, where, 
as we more than half suspected, he had, when we knocked, been 
sitting, a good deal closer to his better-half than he was when 
we entered the "improvement." We say we suspected, for her 
dark-brown hair, which evidently had been most scrupulously 
arranged, was now disordered on the side next to him. Now, we 
don't mean to say that he had been sitting with an arm thrown 
round that taper waist, or that he had been kissing that almost 



A NEW- ENGLAND WIFE AND BABY. 251 

too rosy cheek ; no, it might have been the baby, but do you 
know, when we think of the temptation, we are not so sure that 
it was the baby after all. 

We asked for a drink, and this little woman, a very " Dot" 
of a wife, laid her " Dot " of a baby very gently upon the bed, 
with a look of motherly tenderness as she did so, that reminded 
us of some truly poetic lines which speak of 

" A woman's crown of glory, 
The blessing of a child," 

and then our New England " Dot " handed us a tin dipper full 
of clear, cold water — but such a dipper, " clean as hands could 
make it," as the old saw has it. But it wasn't the dipper alone, 
for if cleanliness be contagious, it must have been so here, 
for, though everything bespoke a new country, everything was 
neat — neat even to a fault ; your eye almost longed for some- 
thing out of place, just to break up the monotony. There were 
plenty of books, too, that is to say, plenty for a new settlement, 
books that were books, none of your gilt-edged, mean-nothing 
sentimentalities, but hard facts, and standard fiction, with here 
and there a volume which bore the name of one of those 

" Bards sublime 
Whose distant footsteps echo, 
Through the corridors of time." 

And better still, the man himself was reading. But we found him 
(alas) 1 full of fight, though we wouldn't have you think that we 
don't approve of fighting, for who doesn't know that desperate dis- 
eases require desperate remedies sometimes, but then it's a bad 
business at the best, and with such a wife and baby, even without 
counting in the flaxen-haired little girl, a great deal worse. So 
we are candid enough to confess that we didn't like our diminu- 
tive Yankee's pugnacity. Yet upon this one subject he seemed 



258 LESS TALK AND MORE WORK. 

perfectly rabid, for he had worked iu the trenches — he had 
handled his Sharpe's rifle — he hated the Border Ruffians — he 

wouldn't be conservative — he was prepared to " do and die " in 

cause of Free State-ism and Kansas — in short, our friend was 
of that ultra type who would treat a political difficulty as an 
old school allopathist would prescribe for a fever, by fating blood 
for it. lie was a "Deown Easter'-' oi' course — asked plenty 
of questions — giving- guarded replies to such queries as were put 
to him, until he discovered that we were from " York State," 
and then thawed out like a snow-bank in the sun. 

And this was our first, and we may as well say, in some 
respects, pleasantest experience of Lawrence. For we must con- 
fess that we have not yet fallen in love with this politician, or 
perhaps we should rather say politics-ridden town. Lawrence 
labors under one very serious difficulty, she needs less talk and 
more work. There is no cause, however good or jnst, which has 
not, since the beginning of time, been more or less afflicted by 
cant, and Free State-ism does not appear to be exempt from this 
universal curse. As iu Missouri we heard too much of ''those 
rascally Abolitionists," and " those internal nigger-stealing Free 
State men in Kansas," so in Lawrence we were equally annoyed 
by the everlasting reiteration of such remarks as, " those hounds, 
the Border Ruffians, who would kill children and insult our 
women, if they were not afraid of our rifles." Now, all this is 
wrong, radically wrong* on both sides. Give us a little less, good 
people, of what that much-quoted, and very sensible authority, 
Mr. Welier, calls, " A passin of Resolutions, and a wotin' of 
Supplies, and all sorts of goings on,'' and a little more of that 
honest toil which puts the sweat on the working-man's brow, and 
the hard dollars in his purse, and we will venture to say, that 
Lawrence will be none the worse politically, and considerably the 
better in a pecuniary point of view, for our suggestion. At pre- 
sent " the war " seems like charity, which " covereth a multitude of 



THE CINCINNATI HOUSE. 259 

sins," for if you ask a man why he doesn't repair his uncomfort- 
able house, he tells you he would but for the war; and the 
same reply will be tendered you, if a cow elope in search of 
better shelter than her owner's pen affords, or a pig break out 
of his dilapidated stye; it is ever "the war, the war," in all its 
moods and tenses. For know all men that the "war" — 
past, present and prospective — haunts Lawrence like a night- 
mare, until her worthy citizens are transformed into heroes of 
battles which might have been, while her orators season their dis- 
courses with " villainous saltpetre," and even the tailor grown 
familiar with " war's alarms," shoulders his yard-stick, and tells 
his customers how fields may yet be won. 

In sober earnest, we really think that Kansas may take up 
the cry, " preserve me from my friends," for, even at the risk of 
pleasing nobody, we feel justified in saying that Southern Filli- 
busterism and Northern interference, have, in no respect, done 
Kansas any good. She has, or had, within herself elements which 
must, sooner or later, have produced results which would have 
won for her the respect, if not the admiration, of her sister 
States ; for we thank God that there is, even upon the Far 
Western border, a remnant, small though it be, of honest 
thinking, and conservative men, whose nobility of character will 
stand out in bolder relief in the hour of political danger and 
agitation, as the sky above them grows blacker and more lower- 
ing. Would that there were more such, for we should then hear 
less of windy vaporings with their threatenings of disunion and 
retaliation. But we have too much to say in the way of de- 
scription, to be able to afford even a conservative digression here ; 
so let us on to Lawrence. 

Upon entering the city proper, we took up our quarters at 
the " Cincinnati House," so called because it is literally a Cin- 
cinnati house, having been brought out in pieces from that hog- 
slaughtering city, to be re-united in the Territory: houses, it 



260 OUR LAND- LADIES. 

may be remarked, are one of the few " foreign importations, 
which unite harmoniously in Kansas. 

Of this, " mine inn," we shall say nothing, for we bear in min 
the proverb, of the least said the soonest mended ; it would hav 
been a blessed thing, by the way, for those who patronized th 
Cincinnati's uneasy couches through those January nights, i 
the latter part of our quotation could have been applied pract 
cally, to its bed-room windows. 

Yet, though we slight the domicil, we should be most impoliti 
not to say nnappreciative, if we were to permit ourselves to forge 
its amiable landladies — for the " House " boasted a brace of pr< 
prietresses, which doesn't surprise us, for we hardly believe ths 
the genius of one individual alone, could have kept up so extraord 
nary an establishment — but, let us assure the reader that this pa 
were noteworthy personages in their humble way, as much so, pe 
haps, as " Melissy," or even " the inconsolable widow of Deaco 
Bedott," who didn't "intend to git married agin." But we wi 
do their portraits from the life, and abide by the artisti 
result. 

And first — the elder (for age must, in this instance, take pr< 
cedence of even personal attractions), seemed a motherly ol 
creature, whose life was an odd mixture of silver spectacles an 
yarn stocking-mending, quite in the Mrs. Partington styh 
But these were but a tithe of this good lady's strong points, fc 
she had large sympathies — "pitied the oppressed" — talked po 
itics — which usually eventuated in a conglomeration of prii 
ciples and parties — with some such remark, by way of finale, a 
"Deary me, what is the world a cotnin' to next?" She wa: 
moreover, a firm believer in patent medicines, and "healii 
yarbs" — had strongly methodistical proclivities, and to wind u 
all, wondered "what on airth we found in Lawrence to writ 
about for the newspapers." 

The younger — if forty odd be young — was, in every respec 



MISS CHARITY. 261 

save one, the very antipodes of the elder ; for, where her coadju- 
trix was short and fat, she was tall and lean — a la Miss Miggs, 
whose fervent attachment for " Simmums n adorns the pages of 
Barnaby Rudge. In size, our junior hostess was somewhere 
between five feet ten and six feet, in a pair of stockings, eter- 
nally down at the heel, and if anything, rather more up than down 
from the estimate first given. To complete the picture, fancy 
little black eyes, set deeply into the head ; a long nose, with 
what sailors term a " slight leaning to port ;" a wide mouth, 
well garnished with masticators, which that droll fellow Hood 
would have called 

" Very large teeth for her age ;" 

add to these a chin, which was poked independently out, as if 
it had begun life in advance of its sister features, and intended to 
keep ahead or die gloriously in the attempt, and our faint out- 
line is complete. But deary me, her good looks were the small- 
est singularity — she had a tongue. Did you ever hear, good 
reader, of a tongue hung in the middle, which worked both 
ways ? Didn't, hey ? Well, we have, and it's our private opin- 
ion that we came nearer to realizing that idea, in Miss Charity's 
case, than we ever have before, or shall again ; and, further- 
more, if that tongue rested from its labors, we are not yet aware 
of the fact; we were even haunted with a terrible suspicion that 
she talked in her sleep, in which case, may our good angel de- 
liver us from being — but we won't say that, either. But it was a 
tongue, that of Miss Charity's ; a tongue to be proud of ; a 
tongue which would have been a mine of gold to a divine, a for- 
tune to a lawyer, a curse to a physician, and killed any politician 
dead, in six weeks from the unlucky hour in which he started it. 
She had, moreover, a weakness for key-holes, which, coupled 
with a most inquiring mind, led her at times into the pursuit of 
information under difficulties j but, as we wouldn't do even a 



262 LONG SWEETENING. 

mosquito harm, unless be bit us, we will qualify this by sayin 
that we thought so ; for, with all these drawbacks, our juveni 
landlady was an apt illustration of that sweet poetical simil 
which is embodied in the quotation of 

" Linked sweetness long drawn out." 



A POLITICAL FREE AND EASY. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

THE BALL. 

From the Cincinnati House, we started off upon a tour of in- 
spection, which brought us finally to a narrow, half-plastered, 
and not over cleanly office, in the second story of a stone build- 
ing, upon Massachusetts street, the main avenue as yet — unless 
you would consult the city as it is built upon paper — of that 
growing metropolis — Lawrence. Here we mounted, by special 
invitation, up a dilapidated wooden stairway, which ran along 
the outside of the house, until we reached a door, which let us into 
the apartment referred to. Upon entering, we almost fell into the 
error of the gentleman from Little Rock, who, on being elected to 
the Arkansas Legislature, got into the Senate chamber by mis- 
take, and then swore that he thought the House of Representa- 
tives was a doggery ; for the room was yellow with smoke, 
and dingy with something not quite so easily removed. There 
was a stove, too — a very dirty one, in the centre of the apartment, 
about which we found a circle of some half-a-dozen rather rough- 
looking specimens of Free State humanity, tipped back in their 
chairs, with feet hoisted upon the hearth, into which an occasional 
jet of tobacco-juice was squirted. As we opened the door, 
everybody seemed talking at once, but more particularly a little 
fellow, in a rabbit-skin cap, who turned out to be an Irishman, 
with a brogue, and a newspaper editor, in a small way, to boot. 
The subject of discussion, just then upon the carpet, as near 



264 THE FREE STATE EXECUTIVES. 

as we could get at it, being the very interesting theme of polit- 
ical loaves and fishes, with the proper distribution thereof. 
What wonder then, that those present, with such a bone of 
contention as Kansas scrip (of which more anon), to fight about, 
were like the army of Bombastes Furioso, all busily engaged in 
kicking up a row ? Yet this august assemblage — don't be 
startled at the announcement — for remember, that this was Legis- 
lation upon the Border, and even Congress itself is not always, 
under similar circumstances, quite so dignified — was an official 
meeting, for the transaction of business of the Executive Com- 
mittee for the Territory of Kansas. g 

But they are clever fellows, these wonderful chaps of Law- 
rence — some of them we mean, for we brought letters to Robin- 
son, ditto to Lane, and ditto to Lowry, and have been well 
received and politely treated by all. Our being the representa- 
tive of the New York Herald, may, perhaps, have stood just a 
little in our way at first, but as we declared ourself ready to 
make affidavit to its or anybody's else reformation, if required, 
our Free State friends, at least so we flattered ourself, finally 
settled down into the belief that we were, for a Newspaper Cor- 
respondent, a wonderfully honest sort of fellow. 

Pending the adjustment of sundry Free State Editor's bills 
for printing resolutions, speeches, and so forth, which were to 
be liquidated in the very peculiar currency already referred to — 
one of the "Executives" asked us if we were "going to the 
ball ?" 

What ball ? Why the ball which was to take place that 
night at the Free State Hotel, as a sort of house-warming for 
the in-coming year, and at which all " the rank, beauty, and 
fashion," as the English journalists express it, of Lawrence 
and its vicinity would most undoubtedly appear. We had not 
obtained a ticket, but would do so, as we had an earnest desire 
to see the belles of Kansas. Our friend stepped out and speedily 



FRONTIER FULL DRESS. 265 

returned with a diminutive, sweet-scented, hot-pressed note- 
paper, gilt-edged billet-doux, printed within in italics, with a libe- 
ral allowance of capitals. Upon inspecting this very lady-like 
missive, we found its contents to run thus : — 

" NEW YEAR'S PARTY." 

" The company of yourself and lady is respectfully solicited at a Social 
Party, /,o be given at the Free State Hotel, in Lawrence, on Tuesday eve- 
ning, January 1st, 185G." 

Then follows a list of some half a dozen of managers, with 
the addenda of, tickets, $1 50 

Armed with these credentials, for which our Executive friend 
will be pleased to accept our thanks, we inquired as to the most 
fashionable hour at which we might venture to become visible — 
were told eight o'clock, and accordingly entered the ball-room, 
an unfinished dining-hall in the Free State Hotel, at the 
hour indicated. We were attired for the occasiou, in a suit of 
black, which was " built " in New York, and has been con- 
sidered creditable upon Broadway ; but we might have spared 
ourself some trouble, for the first gentleman we met sported a 
short, drab overcoat, a very long red comforter, and corduroy 
pants, which were fitly finished at the bottom, by a pair of 
boots, long innocent of blacking, but bearing most unmistak- 
able signs, to more senses than one, of being thoroughly greased; 
and this biped was a fair specimen, by the way, of the very free 
and easy manner in which the male portion of the assemblage 
were rigged out. 

We felt out of place, but it was too late to " retrograde," so 
we summoned up our brass, pulled down our left collar, turned up 
our sleeves, deranged the set of our pants, stuck our hands 
into our breeches pockets, donned our hat, and then went 
into conversation — pending the arrival of the ladies, who were 

12 



266 A KANSAS BALL-ROOM. 

holding on for the music — with our next neighbor — who turned 
out to be something from Indiana, in a blanket overcoat, and a 
very hoarse cold — upon that unfailing subject, " the late war/' 
In the mean time, a Dutchman — the professor, as he is styled — 
who has gained a somewhat expensive immortality by giving the 
first concert in Kansas, which — hurrah for her musical taste! — 
didn't pay either himself or the printer who struck off his 
notices — came in with a four-legged affair that looked like a 
juvenile piano, not yet grown up, on which he began playing 
most discordantly. The arrival of the ladies, who made their 
appearance upon the young piano being reinforced by — judging 
from its execution — a still younger violin, put a stop to this 
thrumming, and the ball commenced. 

As the room filled up, each gentleman was supplied with a 
diminutive paper ticket, which tickets had been previously 
numbered by the floor manager, from one to thirty inclusive. 
The object of this was to give each guest his number, so that 
— as the room was too small to accommodate more than four sets, 
for quadrilles, with variations, were the only dances attempted — 
each man, with his partner, got a "fair shake n to dance in their 
turn, for you were not allowed to take your place upon the floor 
until your number had been called. Well, to make a long story 
short, we danced with sundry of the Kansas belles, and saw 
neither lace-ruffles nor fancy undersleeves, hoops nor flounces, low- 
necked dresses nor embroidered handkerchiefs, but everything 
passed off smoothly, for all that. The dancing-hall, however, 
merits a more extended description. It was, as we have already 
stated, an unfinished room, with rough stone walls, destitute of 
plaster, and a broken window or two. At one side of the room 
a carpenter's bench was shoved up against the wall, to make 
way for the trippers upon the " light fantastic toe," while a 
cooking-stove graced either end of the apartment, and furnished 
a heater, which we regret to say, didn't warm the room. As for 



PLAYING ON THE WASH-BOARD. 267 

candlesticks, each window had a slip of board fastened across 
the sash, with nails driven in at uncertain intervals, so as to 
support the candles, which threw their nickering light upon this 
gay and festive scene. At midnight we had supper; that is 
to say, we ranged ourselves upon the long wooden benches, 
— which surrounded the room — to the number of some eighty 
souls or more, when, being "all set" at a given signal the door 
opened — no, we mistake, it didn't — for there was none to open — 
but two men entered, bearing between them a piece of plank, on 
which were ranged plates, containing a triangle of cold pie, some 
raisins, and a stick of candy each — more or less, as the lawyers 
say — this was followed up by a second edition of planks, and 
men who served everybody — nolens volens — with a cup of hot 
coffee; then came cakes, " fearfully and wonderfully " made, and 
then back came the plank-bearers, who removed the fragments 
of the feast, whereupon the dancers went to work again, and 
we went home to bed. We cannot, however, close our notice of 
the ball without recording a conversation, which we had the 
honor of holding with one of the prettiest, and certainly the 
liveliest girl in the room. It was short and sweet, and ran 
thus : 

We. — (After a pause.) • Are you fond of music ? 

She. — Oh ! yes, indeed I am. 

We. — (Stroking down our moustache.) Do you play on any 
instrument ?" 

She. — Yes sir, I reckon I do. 

We. — (Interested.) On the piano, or do you prefer the 
guitar? 

She. — No sir. But I'm great on the wash-board. Tve been 
practising all day. 

We fancied that we had listened to less sensible speeches in 
more pretentious assemblies. 



268 THE FAT ONE ENTERS. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



THE HEROINES OF THE WAR. 



January 2d. — A clear, cold, biting day, or to speak more cor- 
rectly at this present, a bitter evening, for the short twilight of 
winter has already given place to its long dreary, night, and even 
as we write, our senior hostess — the short, fat one — enters with 
the despairing announcement of : 

" My goodness gracious ! eight o'clock, as I am alive, and Miss 
Charity ain't got the fust one of them dishes washed up yet. 
Well I never, if you men hain't gone to talkin' politics agin. 
I spose you'll be inductin' of another party next. Oh ! deary- 
me, what is the world a comin' to ?" 

Our motherly old hostess makes her exit, very much, if the 
truth be told, to our mental relief, for how can one journalize 
with any degree of personal satisfaction, not to mention truth- 
fulness, when an old maid, and a yet older matron, aided by some 
half a dozen boarding-house politicians, who all agree in disa- 
greeing, are kicking up a wordy row, within ten feet of the 
table at which you are scribbling, or, to be accurate, nibbling your 
pen, as you vainly strive to grasp the tail of some eel-like idea, 
which is ever slipping from you, and won't be caught. 

And now for our log — let us take a retrospective view, and 
go back to 11 o'clock a. m., at which hour we did onrself 

the pleasure of calling upon Mistress W , the letter-half 

of a certain hard-working Free State politician, and an 



A CHAT WITH THE LADIES. 269 

elder sister of one of our fair partners of the evening before. 

TheW mansion stands upon the main street (or as the good 

people of Lawrence delight to call it, Massachusetts Avenue); 
its exterior is, at the best, very far from imposing, for though 
it would be called a house here, it might be suited at the North 
with a less dignified appellation; as for the interior, it was, if we 
saw all, divided, to use a Hibernianism, into one room, a bed, and 
a cooking-stove, round which some two or three white-headed 
little urchins were playing noisily, while the women folks talked 
over that very interesting event — our last night's ball. But it 
was not long ere even this fruitful subject was exhausted, for 
in a country where the feminines have but one party dress, 
which does duty all the year round, that theme .becomes stale, 
and Kansas is almost too new for scandal, so it is hardly to be 
wondered at, that the tide of words soon flowed into their natural 
channel, which means the Wakarusa War, for in this section of 
the Territory, at least, it is hard to exchange ideas with any one, 
without being fairly dragged into the whole state of Kansas, ere 
you have given your tongue a five minutes' run. And as this 
led very naturally to the personal experiences of the ladies 
present, who seemed quite willing to " post us up," and as these 
experiences were really of a very extraordinary and withal 
adventurous nature, we feel confident that it would be doino* 

o 

everybody an injustice to suppress them here. But let us 

preface the narration, or rather Mistress W — 's story, by 

the assertion that if Mistress Molly Starke was breveted to a 

Majority, for serving a piece upon the field, Mistress W ~, 

(we wish we knew her own initials), should be made a Captain 
of Artillery, at the very least, for the very gallant manner in 

which she and her companion (Mrs. B ) served the State, in 

a one-horse buggy. And when we tell you this heroine's story, 
as we jotted it down on our note-book, from her own lips, as she 
sat sewing by her cooking-stove, with the urchins aforesaid play- 



270 THE FREE STATE HEROINE. 

ing arouud her feet, we presume you will not only agree with 
us in the recommendation to a Captaincy, but avow your- 
self ready to declare that Mistress B and her fair com- 
panion are trumps ; and a clear-grit Yankee woman quite equal, 
upon an emergency, to what, in vulgar parlance, is quaintly styled 
11 a whole team, and a dog under the wagon " to boot. But to 
our tale, and we may very properly call it 

THE FREE STATE HEROINE'S ENTERPRISE. 

11 The Kansas war was at its height — Lawrence was a Sebas- 
topol, and the Wakarusa and Lecompton camps teemed with 
those barbarous hordes, the ' Border Ruffians/ when it was 
suddenly discovered by the stern Republicans — all black though 
they be — who guarded the entrenchments of this beleaguered city, 
that our gallant defenders lacked that sine qua non for legalized 
bloodshed, powder and ball. Here, then, was a terrible state 
of affairs. The enemy was at hand, the cloud of war growing 
darker every day, and the smoke of battle just about to be 
puffed into our very nostrils ; yet, from whence were we ' the 
unterrified ' to obtain a sufficient supply of ' villainous salt- 
petre,' — for every road was guarded, every avenue closed, every 
wagon searched, and the ' Border Ruffians ' had their watchful 
scouts upon each overlooking hill, so that no man, be he Free 
State, or Pro-Slavery, might come or go unquestioned. In fact, 
the Free State leaders were fairly bothered, but where ' the 
Lords of Creation' exhaust their ingenuity in vain, a woman's 
wit will often solve the problem, and it was so in this in- 
stance, for a certain Mistress B (also of Lawrence) and 

myself concocted a plan which, with the approval of the Free 
State generals, we determined to put into execution. Our scheme 
was simply this : We knew that both powder and lead, together 
with a considerable quantity of Sharpe's rifle caps and cartridges 
were deposited with those favorable to our cause, at two sepa- 



BUSTLING TIMES. 271 

rate points upon the Santa F6 trail. It does not matter as to 
their particular whereabouts, but it will do nobody any harm to 
say that they are to be found within ten miles of the room in 
which we are now seated. Now, when a woman makes up her 
mind to do anything, be it good or bad, it is already more than 
half accomplished ; so you may readily suppose that no very 
great space of time intervened between our determination to 
undertake the enterprise and our putting its into execution. 

" So at eight o'clock on a bright winter morning, Mistress 

B and myself stepped into the one-horse buggy which 

was to transport us to the localities where these warlike supplies 
were awaiting an opportunity to reach the Free State camp, 
and then convey us back again well laden, as we trusted, with 
the much-desired ammunition. We were both, I can assure you, 
got up, so far as equipments were concerned, in a very eccen- 
rict fashion for the trip ; as for myself, I wore two dresses, and 
a petticoat, which, though it went forth lined with wadding, 
came back charged with what — if I were inclined to make a 
pun, might be called excellent gun-cotton. We were, moreover, 
each provided with an article which, though it makes no great 
bustle now-a-days, was in this particular instance well fitted to 
increase the noise in Lawrence in the event of a premature 
explosion, for they had, ere we re-entered Massachusetts 
street, been literally stuffed with a commodity that rendered 
them completely water-proof, insomuch as their contents 
may fairly be said to have kept them as dry as powder. 
But a truce to jesting — though I have many a hearty laugh 
when I recall the recollections of this eventful excursion. 

" We passed the picket guards of the Lawrence camp, and 
continued on, without meeting with any note-worthy adventure, 
for though we saw several parties of Missourians — the fact of our 
being females, and our travelling from the town, was probably 
a sufficient guarantee for our harmlessness. It was late in the 



272 A KILLING PETTICOAT. 

morning — for we drove slowly, as we wished to save our mare's 
strength for the afternoon — ere we reached the dwelling of Mr, 
Blank, our first stopping-place, upon the Santa Fe trail. 
Here we received a warm welcome, coupled with many expres- 
sions of astonishment at our temerity, and, what was more to 
the purpose, a keg of prime rifle-powder, which I should say, for 
I carried it out to the buggy myself, must have contained up- 
wards of twenty-five pounds ; this we emptied and secreted 
carefully about our persons, I could hardly tell you where. In 
addition to the powder, they gave us a quantity of lead ; this 
we also stowed away in a secret hiding-place — as for the 
Sharpe's rifle caps, we put those into our stockings, while the 
cartridges were quilted into our petticoats, under-dress, and cloth- 
ing generally. From Mr. Blank's we drove to the residence 
of another Free State sympathizer, who also lived on the 
Santa Fe trail, where we obtained not only powder and ball, 
but au additional supply of Sharpe's rifle cartridges, with quite 
a number of caps, as there were more of these latter muni- 
tions than we could conveniently dispose of — being already, 
as an artilleryman might say, loaded quite up to the muzzle 
— we were, though very unwillingly, compelled to entrust 
them to a boy, and a sturdy Free State youngster too, who, 
although he was not yet nine years old, was going to try 
and enter Lawrence — which of course involved passing the 
enemy's scouting parties — with an ox-team that he was driving. 
But we trusted, as his cart was empty, and the little fellow but 
a mere child, that his youth and apparent innocence would disarm 
the suspicions of the Pro-Slavery people, and thus permit him to 
pass unsearched with his dangerous cargo in safety to our lines. 
In this expectation, however, or, to speak more correctly, in a por- 
tion of it, we were doomed to be disappointed, as the sequel of 
my story will show; but I am anticipating. 

" Upon completing our lading, by which time we were so con* 



LOADED TO GO OFF. 273 

siderably increased in bulk, that we found the buggy rather a 
small pattern for two, I grasped the reins and whipped up old Sally, 
until she fairly broke into a run as we took the homeward road ; 
for it was not far from three o'clock, p. m., by the time that all 
our preparations for departure were completed, and we had still 
some ten miles to go. We continued to rattle on, although at a 
rather more moderate gait, for old Sally's vigorous start soon so- 
bered down into a long, steady trot, which carried us rapidly 
over the smooth prairie road ; and were already within a few 
miles of home, when, just as I was beginning to bless my lucky 
stars, for what promised to be a successful termination to our 
adventure, an exclamation from my companion caused me to 
look up, and there, sure enough, were a party of ' Border-Ruf- 
fians ' on horseback, whose dark figures stood out in bold relief 
against the wintry sky, as they dotted the summit of a distant 
prairie rise, where they seemed to have reined in their cattle, 
to observe us ; while, worst of all, two of their number — and 
even at that distance, they looked unprepossessing enough — were 
already galloping towards us at top speed, as if to cut us off. 
I looked at my companion, as if I meant to say, "What on 
earth are we to do now V and she returned my glance, in a 
manner that told me, as plainly as words could have spoken it, 
" I'm sure I do not know." For myself, I was quite at my wit's 
end ; I formed a dozen plans in a minute, and dismissed them 
with equal promptitude the next. There seemed but one course 
left for us to pursue, and that was to put our mare to her speed, 
and thereby — do what many a lady has done before — make a run- 
away match of it ; but, as we were already both married, there 
wouldn't have been much poetry in that, and even if it had been 
otherwise, a moment's reflection convinced me that such an es- 
capade, under existing circumstances, would be sheer madness, as, 
even if old Sally could have done anything in the racing way, 
the heat must have been a short one, for, like that honest citizen, 

12* 



274 OLD SALLY AND HER DRIVER. 

John Gilpin, in the song, we 'carried weight,' which would 
have told sadly agaiust us ; for how could old Sally drag the 
buggy, its two inmates, and our hundred pounds of powder and 
ball, in a trial of speed with some twenty odd well-mounted 
frontiersmen, who would be able to take advantage of every cut- 
off in a road whose turnings we must of necessity follow. So 
as there was nothing for it, but to put our trust in the winding 
up of the chapter of accidents, with, perhaps, a little feminine 
diplomacy to help it out, I drew in the reins, slackened old 
Sally's trot to a walk, and was waiting — if the truth must be 
told — with my heart in my mouth, while I endeavored to look 
as innocent as I conveniently could, to see the upshot of this 
most unwelcome visitation. Judge, then, how great was my re- 
lief, when I beheld the two horsemen, who had by this time 
galloped up to within twenty cr thirty yards of our vehicle, 
tighten their bridles, and come to a sudden halt ; at the same 
time, lifting their hats, as they assured me, with a very killing 
bow, that they really begged our pardon for disturbing us, which, 
had their people only known that none but ladies were in the 
buggy, would never have occurred. 

" To this very gratifying piece of intelligence, they added some- 
thing about having thought, when they first caught sight of us, 
that there was a gentleman too, in which case, the very strict 
orders they had received, in relation to stopping and arresting 
every suspicious person, would have made it necessary for 
them to question him. To all this, we, of course, said just 
as much, in the way of bows, wreathed smiles, and such like 
courtesies, as possible, without trusting ourselves to words. 
I suppose we must have looked frightened, for the Border-Ruf- 
fians — and these certainly were very nice Ruffians — made their fare- 
well salutations, wheeled their horses, and were off to rejoin their 
party, leaving my companion and myself, very much to our de- 
light, to pursue our way unmolested. Upon looking back, a 



SWELLED OUT AWFUL. 275 

short time afterwards, we saw them in the distance, all busily 
engaged in overhauling the unlucky urchin who had charge of 
the ox-team and — what was to us a matter of very considerable 
anxiety, our additional package of rifle caps. But the Free 
State juvenile's detention was a short one, for we had the satis- 
faction to see the Missourians file off, while he of the ox-cart 
cracked his whip, as he urged the lazy cattle upon their road to 
town. He entered Lawrence that evening, and delivered his 
package of caps, a little rumpled to be sure, but all right, never- 
theless. We have never yet, however, been able to discover in 
what manner he concealed them, while undergoing this inspection 
upon the road, for, in answer to all cur questions, the younster 
only laughed, blushed a little, and when still more closely 
pressed, hung down his head and said nothing." 

We afterwards discovered that the young gentleman alluded 
to, had deposited the package — upon first perceiving the ap- 
proach of the Missourians — inside the seat of his voluminous 
pantaloons, which may, perhaps, very naturally, account for his 
diffidence when so closely questioned by the ladies. 

A Western Free State man, who saw the heroines making their 
triumphant entry into Lawrence, upon their return from this ad- 
venturous trip, speaks thus of the personal appearance of these 
perambulating Free State arsenals : — 

" Stranger, when I saw them wimin a comin' inter this hyar 
town, I jest allowed that hustles hed come inter fashion agin, 
for they wor swelled out awful !" 



276 <VE DEFINE OUR POSITION. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

* 

THE FREE STATE SIDE OF THE QUESTION. 

We had an interview this afternoon with General Charles 
Robinson, who is by far the most influential leader of the Free 
State movement in Kansas ; there were moreover two other per- 
sons present, who are also deep in the counsels of that party. 
Our object in seeking this interview was to notify these gentle- 
men formally of the purpose with which we had visited Kansas, 
of the duties intrusted to us, and of the manner in which we 
purposed (as the fairest that could be adopted), to pursue our 
investigations in re Kansas and the war. We, therefore, said 
plainly that we were duly accredited by the " New York 
Herald," as their Kansas correspondent ; in proof of which we 
exhibited our credentials from the editor of that paper. We 
then informed the General that we had already taken a peep at 
the Pro-Slavery version of the war, through the medium of sun- 
dry statements, official documents, affidavits, and such like, 
which we had obtained from his Excellency, Governor Shannon, 
and others of that persuasion, whom we regarded as reliable 
men ; in speaking of which, we very frankly admitted that the 
Pro-Slavery people had not only taken some little pains to post 
us up, but so far as we were competent to judge, had made out 
a very pretty case for their side into the bargain. We finally 
intimated to the General and his compatriots, that as we desired 



TRUTH AXD BREVITY. 271 

to " do justice to all men," we would spend eight days, and if 
necessary even more time, in Lawrence, and devote ourself, dur- 
ing that period, to getting up the Free State History of the 
Wakarusa War in as readable a form as our poor abilities would 
permit, and at the conclusion of our labors, give their story 
to the world, or if need be, in the summing up, argue their 
cause before the jury of Public Opinion ; not as a lawyer who 
has taken a fee, but as an upright judge, who permits no con- 
sideration of personal interest to " sully the purity of his ermine." 
But, gentlemen, added we, we cannot do this thing unaided ; 
we must ask, not only your co-operation but your suggestions ; 
for while we are willing to take down and write out your testi- 
mony, we do not feel that it is our business to obtain your wit- 
nesses ; so we notify you now, that if you have any evidence 
you may desire printed, we shall expect you to send those whose 
testimony you wish recorded, to us ; and furthermore, if we 
might be permitted to make the suggestion, let us have nothing 
bnt facts, which if denied can be sustained by proof. We want 
neither suppositions, rumor, personalities, nor party abuse, but 
simply that which is said to lie in the bottom of a well (and we 
are free to confess, by the way, that it must be a mighty deep 
one in Kansas), the truth. And now, as a last word in your 
ear, gentlemen, let us intimate that " two good, clean witnesses," 
to any one point in question, are quite as satisfactory as fifty ; 
the more so, as in this age of fast people, where men live, travel, 
eat and read by steam, brevity is most unquestionably the very 
soul of wit. 

Such was our " talk," or rather the drift of it, to the Free 
State magnates, who, to do them justice, seemed on their part 
not only good-natured but very willing, so far as promises went, 
to aid us in our news-hunting ; and we can only say, that if they 
do so, we shall honestly endeavor to carry out our pledge, to 
give the Free State evidences, so far as they may see fit to fur- 



218 THE MAIN POINTS. 

nish us with it, fairly to the world. We shall, therefore, intro- 
duce such papers as we may from time to time obtain, by insert- 
ing them, as received, into the pages of what is now our jour- 
nal of events in Lawrence. 

In presenting the Free State side of the Kansas War ques- 
tion, we marked out for ourself more particularly the following 
points : 

1st. A general outline of the events which led to and attended 
the so-called " Wakarusa War." This we proposed to cover, by 
a statement from General Robinson himself, whose truthfulness, 
if we judge him by the testimony of his political oppone?its, 
is to be most implicitly relied upon. 

2d. To discover whether the arrest of Jacob Branson was 
properly made by Sheriff Jones, and to institute inquiries into 
the killing of Dow by the man Coleman, with the Free State 
version of the difficulties which led to that most unfortunate 
result. To accomplish this, we intended getting the statements 
of Branson himself, with that of one or more of his neigh- 
bors. 

[Note. — In this expectation we were finally disappointed, 
through the neglect of the Free State people to procure the 
presence in Lawrence of these persons ; though they had inti- 
mated that they should come in.] 

3d. We desired to get at the real facts connected with the 
calling together, and proceedings of certain public meetings, 
alleged to have been holden in Lawrence, upon the day follow- 
ing the rescue of Branson, and which are said to have endorsed 
his recapture. 

[Note. — For these matters see portions of General Robinson's 
narrative, as also Miller's and Bercaw's statements.] 

4th. To verify or prove false the Pro-Slavery version of the 
circumstances attending the rescue of Jacob Branson from the 
Sheriff of Douglas County and his posse. 



SEVEN IN A BED. 219 

[Note. — For such Free State information as we were enabled 
to gather upon this subject, we must refer the reader to Ber- 
caw's statement, and also to passages in the narrative of General 
Robinson.] 

5th. To inquire particularly iuto the circumstances attending 
the killing of the Free State man, Thomas W. Barber, and 
if possible procure the evidence of those who were with him 
when the homicide took place. 

[Note.— See statements of Robert F. Barber, the brother, 
and Thomas M. Peirson, the brother-in-law, of the deceased, with 
extract from Dr. Ainsworth attached.] 

From this time forth our news-gathering work commenced 
in earnest, and for the difficulties under which it was prosecuted, 
we would refer your curiosity to the facts that we were obliged 
to pursue our labors in that " one common room" of the ill-regu- 
lated hotel, already alluded to ; where, with a hot stove at 
our back, and a Bedlam of disturbance in our ears, we scribbled 
up our daily gleanings, and from which, when the hour of ten 
p. m. came round, we were forced to retire — willing or unwill- 
ing — to our airy (half the windows were broken), sleeping-room 
above, where we slept if we could, in company with just six peo- 
ple ; it seems proper, by the way, to inform the reader that the 
seven did not, however, all occupy the same bed. 

January 3d, Evening. — Scene — that general sitting-room — 
the politicians, seven in number, all assembled, two of them being- 
provided with strong pipes, which in this very confined apart- 
ment, is almost as satisfactory as taking a smoke yourself, and 
so far as the perfume in your hair and clothing goes — quite ; the 
stove — a big one — is red hot, add to which that both of our 
hostesses are present, and both talking, the junior on religion, 
and the senior upon things in general, and then sympathize with 
us as we sit down to write quietly. 

Let us see ; what is there upon our docket to-day ? Ah ! 



280 k ROUGH AND TUMBLE SET. 

here is Mr. Albert T. Bercaw's statemeut in rega r d to the rescue 
of our old acquaintance upon paper, Mr. Jacob Branson — a very 
worthy gentleman, we doubt not. And as Mr. Albert T. Ber- 
caw was what the dead languages call a parliceps criminis, or 
what in no less legal English might be termed an accessory after 
the fact (it was not his fault that it was not before), in this 
recapture business, we presume that Mr. Bercaw ought to be 
supposed to know a great deal about the affair ; so we will, 
after this very solemn preamble, introduce that gentlemen, or 
what in this instauce is quite as much to the point — his state- 
ment — here. It will be perceived, too, that Mr. Bercaw's nar- 
rative treats of a certain meeting at Hickory Point, and, 
judging from the amount of difficulty, murder, house-burnings, 
and such like little eccentricities, which have occurred in this 
thinly-settled locality, we are inclined to believe that the Hickory 
Pointers must be a very " rough and tumble" — not to mention 
pugnacious — set of gentlemen. But let us get back to Mr. 
Bercaw. 

Note. — The following, in common with all the statements of 
individuals, which we have thought proper to procure, as ne- 
cessary to a full understanding of the matters in question, was 
taken down by our own hand from the lips of the person named. 

STATEMENT OF ALBERT T. BERCAW, OF LAKE COUNTY, OHIO, A FREE STATE 
MAN, IN RELATION TO A MEETING OF THE FREE STATE SETTLERS AT 
HICKORY POINT, K. T., AND EVENTS GROWING OUT OF SAID MEETING. 

I was present at a meeting, which was held at Hickory Point, on or 
about the 2Gth of November, 1855. It was convened to investigate the 
circumstances attending the killing of C. "W. Dow. 

This meeting convened at noon, upon the spot where Dow was killed, 
and continued in session until four, p. m. Its chairman was a Free State 
man, named Powell. After considerable discussion, it was decided to ap- 
point a committee of seven, whose duty it should be to select twenty-five 
men — whose names were to be kept secret — the persons so selected were to 
act as a vigilance committee. I was a member of the committee of seven. 



BERCAW'S FREE STATE STATEMENT. 281 

The duties of the vigilance committee were thus expressed in one of the 
resolutions passed at that time, namely — 

" To ferret out and bring the murderers and their accomplices to condign 
punishment." 

When this meeting had adjourned, a few of its members, but not over 
fifteen in all, stepped out, and wished to call a party to burn Coleman's 
house. (It is proper to remark that Coleman's house was only a few rods 
distant from the place where the gathering was held.) This was opposed. 
Some one in the crowd then called out, 

" All those in favor of Durning Coleman's house form a line." 

Against this a majority of the persons present remonstrated ; among 
others, Abbot, a Free State man, and afterwards one of the rescuers of 
Branson, said, " Let us prevent them, if they should try to do it." Indeed, 
the opposition was so strong, that but two persons attempted it ; these 
climbed over the fence, and approached the house, which had been deserted 
by Coleman and his family, who had fled and taken the most of their furni- 
ture with them. Upon reaching the building, one of the men clubbed his 
Sharpe's rifle, and burst open the door ; they then set fire to some articles 
inside, what, I do not know, as I did not enter the house, but remained 
with the crowd. In a short time the smoke began to issue from the 
building, upon seeing which, those who were opposed to the burning of 
the dwelling, entered, and extinguished the flames before they had done 
any very great damage. I have since learned that the house was burnt 
down that night, but know nothing of the matter myself. The crowd then 
dispersed. 

As I was returning home from this meeting, I saw a party of mounted 
men, whom I supposed to be Pro-Slavery men, riding in a body towards 
Hickory Point. My suspicions were aroused as to their intentions ; I went, 
therefore, and took counsel with two Free State men, named Abbot and 
S. N. Wood ; while thus engaged, a person, named Tappan — who is also a 
Free State man — informed us that the party which I had seen were Sheriff 
Jones's posse, who were then on their way to arrest one Jacob Branson, a 
Free State settler, at Hickory Point. Upon learning this, S. N. Wood and 
Abbot obtained horses, mounted, and rode up to Hickory Point, to notify 
Branson that the Pro-Slavery sheriff was in pursuit of him, and that he 
would certainly be arrested if he did not make his escape. Upon reaching 
Branson's residence, however, they discovered that they had come too 
late to effect the object which brought them there, as Branson had already 
been taken. They then instituted inquiries, but were unable to ascertain 



282 THE H1VK0RY POINT RESOLUTIONS. 

in what direction Sheriff Jones's posse had gone. Messengers were imme- 
diately dispatched to alarm the Free State settlers, and rally men for the 
rescue of Branson. In the meanwhile, Wood and Abbot had returned to 
Abbot's house, where the party were to meet, who intended to effect a 
re-capture. I was on my way to join this party at the place appointed, when 
I heard a couple of shots and hastened forward. Upon reaching Abbot's, 
where I did not enter, but remained near the dwelling upon the outside, 
I was told that Branson had been rescued, and was then in the house. 
When I came up, Sheriff Jones was remonstrating with our people, and 
saying that he wished to get possession of Branson, whom he claimed as 
his prisoner ; he stated, moreover, that he (Jones) was the Sheriff of Doug- 
las County, and that he would send an express to Governor Shannon for 
men to aid him in carrying out the law. 

We had, upon this occasion, about twenty men; I don't know the exact 
number ; there might have been more. Our people were all armed with 
Sharpe's rifles. After the rescue, I accompanied Branson to Lawrence, 
and was present at a public meeting, which was held at that place, upon 
the ensuing day. This meeting endorsed the Hickory Point Resolutions. 

Here follow the Hickory Point Resolutions referred to : — 

PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY A MEETING OF CITIZENS AT 
HICKORY POINT, K. T., NOVEMBER 26TH, 1855. 

Whereas, Charles W. Dow, a citizen of this place, was murdered on 
Wednesday afternoon last, and whereas, evidence, by admission and other- 
wise, fastens the guilt of said murder on one F. M. Coleman, and whereas, 
facts further indicate that other parties — namely — Buckley, Wagoner, 
Reynolds, Hargis, Moody and others, were implicated in said murder, and 
whereas, facts further indicate that said individuals and parties are com- 
bining for the purpose of harassing and even murdering unoffending citi- 
zens, and whereas, we are now destitute of law, even for the punishment 
of crime, in this Territory, and whereas, the aforesaid individuals have fled 
to Missouri, therefore — 

Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with the family and relations of 
the deceased. 

Resolved, That we regard F. M. Coleman, and those c«nnected with 
him, as wilful murderers, who should be treated as such by all good 
citizens. 

Resolved, That we are ready to stand by and defend any and all of our 
fellow-citizens, in protecting their lives and property ; and consider it our 



A GOOD A\ T D FAIR CHRISTIAN. 283 

duty to spare neither time nor expense in ferreting out, and bringing to 
condign punishment, all connected with this infamous crime. 

Resolved, That a vigilance committee of twenty-five be appointed, whose 
duty it shall be to bring the above-named individuals, as well as those 
connected with them in this affair, to justice. 

Resolved, That we stamp with disapprobation, the actions of those per- 
sons, who knowingly permitted the body of the deceased to lay by the 
roadside, without giving information in regard to it. 

January 4th. — We have spent the greater portion of 
to-day in the prosecution of our Kansas news-hunt, in pursu- 
ing which, we wandered into the "preserve" of a certain Mr. 
Christian, we dont mean a hard Christian by the way, but 
a good Christian, who, being naturally a jovial little fellow, with 
a good-humored face, laughing eye, and keen appreciation of the 
ridiculous, suited us at first sight, so we have fraternized won- 
derfully, as the reader may suppose. 

We had not been very long in our little friend's somewhat' 
diminutive office — which was indeed so small, that it quite realized 
our idea of that cockneyism, " a box in the country " — ere we 
discovered that he not only handled the pen of a ready w r riter, 
but indulged it at times in scribbling for the newspapers. So 
we complimented his style, and finally managed to overcome his 
diffidence, for we all know that the genus Author is but 
human at the best, until at length we had persuaded him to give 
us a peep into the manuscript, and as our peep convinced us 
that it was worth reading, we will write him a preface first, and 
then give you Mr. Christian's very fair explanation of the 
" Kansas embroglio," for which — Christian's account wo mean, 
and not the embroglio — multum in parvo would be no bad head- 
ing. 

The following is a letter addressed to a member of the Ken- 
tucky State Legislature, in answer to one requesting information 
as regarded the state of affairs in Kansas. Its writer, James 
Christian, Esq., is a citizen of Lawrence, and we are disposed 



284 A TOUCH OF THE BROGUE. 

to call particular attention to his statements from these circum- 
stances : 

Mr. Christian holds an appointment under the Territorial 
government, as County Clerk, of Douglas County, K. T. He 
is of the Pro-Slavery party, but withal a strong union and con- 
servative man. We hear of him from the Free State people, as 
a person much respected by both parties. He has been retained 
by Coleman as his counsel in the Dow matter — is in favor of 
making Kansas a Slave State — has lived in Lawrence since the 
middle of March last — has his family with him and intends to 
remain in the Territory — is spoken of as being a straightfor- 
ward, and strictly honorable man — is an Irishman by birth, 
with, to use his own expression, " a slight touch of the brogue, 
and a considerable taste of the blarney," and finally, Mr. 
Christian has resided in the State of Kentucky for fifteen years, 
has never had the good fortune to u own a darkey," but would 
like a couple if he could afford that luxury, as he thinks they 
might be made useful. 

MR. JAMES CHRISTIAN'S HISTORY OF THE KANSAS DISTURBANCES 

Lawrence, K. T., Jan. 1st, 1S55. 

My Dear : 



11 1 suppose you have heard of the troubles in Kansas, 
and read, perhaps, some of the many falsehoods which have been 
scattered broadcast over the land. I have, as yet, seen nothing in 
the public prints, which may be regarded as strictly true, on 
either side of this question, for editors and letter-writers are like 
lawyers, very apt to tell but one part of the story, and that in 
their own way; indeed, like the Jews of old, they can never dis- 
cover the ' beam in their own eye,' but seek rather to pull out 
the mote from their brother's. 

" The true cause of these Kansas troubles was not an arrest 
by the Sheriff under the Territorial law; it had its origin far 



NULLIFIERS, SCAMPS, AND ROTTENS. 285 

back in the halls of Congress, when the Nebraska and Kansas 
bills were passed, when the Missouri Compromise was declared 
null and void, and ultra men boasted in our Legislative Assem- 
blies, that if they could not defeat these bills in one way they 
would in another, and returned to their homes to organize ' Emi- 
grant Aid Societies/ and ' Kansas Leagues,' with the avowed 
intention of defeating the objects of the Kansas Bill, by Abo- 
litionizing the Territory. This was the first wrong, and it 
aroused the indignation of the ' Fire Eaters ' of Western Mis- 
souri, whom Benton, in his peculiar manner, styles nullifiers, 
scamps, and rottens; these were headed by such men as Atchin- 
son, B. F. Stringfcllow, C. F. Jackson, Col. S. A. Young, with 
others of lesser note, but all tried soldiers of the Anti- Benton 
campaigns, from 1849 to 1855, when Atchinson was beaten as 
Senator. 

" When the first election in Kansas (for delegate) came on, 
these gentlemen called out the Pro-Slavery forces, and marched 
their men into the Territory to cast their votes for Whitfield. 
This was done to counteract the influence of the Boston Aid 
Societies and Kansas Leagues, already alluded to. This might 
have been all well or ill enough, if the evil had stopped here, as 
the Free Soilers, when they came in, ruled it with a high hand ; 
in many instances treating the Pro-Slavery and Western settlers 
with the grossest injustice, by driving them from their improve- 
ments, or cutting their timber before their eyes, at the same time 
bidding them defiance, as they (the Yankees) 'had the power, 
and meant to take the country.' This it was that prompted the 
Pro-Slavery and Western men to seek protection from their 
friends in Missouri, who, to do them justice, were as zealous in 
giving assistance as they were prompt to ask it. Things were 
in this condition when the spring elections came on for members 
of the Council and House of Representatives. This took place 
on the 30th of March, 1855, and the people of Missouri, de- 



286 BOWIE-KNIFES, PISTOLS AND WHISKY. 

lighted with their success at the fall election, came in with 
renewed vigor to the Kansas ballot-boxes, bringing with them 
an ample supply of their favorite institutions — bowie-knifes, pis- 
tols and whisky — to the great terror of the Yankees — not to 
mention the trepidation of the liege subjects of Her Majesty 
Queen Yictoria. But to continue, the Ides of March came 
on, and the 30th of that month is a day long to be remem- 
bered in the history of this Territory. Missouri poured in 
her citizens to the number of some five or six thousand 
men, who carried the election, and returned every Pro-Slavery 
candidate in the field by overwhelming majorities ; thus securing 
every member of both houses of the Kansas Legislature. To 
effect this, they in some instances replaced the judges of election, 
appointed by Governor Reeder, by substituting men of their 
own principles. It is but just, however, to state that they 
chose for this purpose bona fide residents of Kansas, which the 
Governor's proclamation permitted, inasmuch as it gave author- 
ity to the electors, in case any judge should refuse to serve, to 
elect another to fill his place. The judges alluded to were N. B. 
Blanton and James B. Abbot, of the 1st District. (See 
Governor Reeder's proclamation of the 8th March, 1855.) The 
judges, so substituted, disregarded the instructions of the Execu- 
tive, in striking out the word 'legal' from their certificates of 
election. This was their first great wrong." 

Note. — Though uot embraced in this letter, our informant has 
given your correspondent so graphic a description of this elec- 
tion and its attendings, as it was carried on in the Lawr.ence 
District, that we have requested him to describe it for the 
amusement, and it may be instruction of our New York politicians. 
I mean those of the hard shell rough-and-ready order. 

Mr. Christian's account runs thus : 



MISSOURI AT THE KANSAS POLLS. 28 T 

" Upon the morning of the 30th of March, a clear sunshiny 
day, the voters of Lawrence District began assembling about the 
door of the polls, which was held in a small log shanty, quite a 
one-horse affair, situated upon the outskirts of the city of 
Lawrence. In the mean time, the invading army of Missouri 
voters, who had arrived the day before, to the number of 
some eight or nine hundred men, were encamped in the vicinity 
of the polls. At 9 a. m., the hour appointed for the opening 
of the polls, the Missourians, well armed, walked down to the 
one-horse shanty, before alluded to. Their leader, Young, then 
took the oath required by the judges of election. To avoid the 
rtish, and prevent unnecessary crowding, the Missourians then 
formed a line some hundred yards in length, on either side of the 
shanty window, in which the voters were to deposit their ballots. 
Through this alley-way the voters passed in ; but as the living 
stream was for some time continuous, and a retreat through the 
lane impossible, it became necessary to adopt some plan by 
which to get rid of the voter after he had been polled. This 
was no easy matter ; but, as a happy expedient, it was at 
length determined to hoist each polled man upon the roof of the 
shanty, where he seized hold of the shingles and thus assisted 
himself over until he had gained the other side, from whence a 
second jump brought him in safety to the ground, leaving him at 
liberty to supply the place of some friend who had not yet 
voted. The vote thus polled in the Lawrence District was up- 
wards of one thousand, of which two hundred and twenty-five 
were Free Soil and the balance Pro- Slavery. 

" The Free Soilers were so utterly confounded by this very ener- 
getic action on the part of the Missourians, that they neglected — 
except in some three or four instances — to send in their protests 
in proper time, that is. to say, before the Governor (Reeder) had 
given certificates to the persons so elected. The Pro- Slavery 
party had therefore a majority of two-thirds in each House of 



288 THE ROJIULl'SES OF KANSAS. 

the Legislature, where they could, and did, do as they pleased 
with the members returned at the second election, which was 
held in May, in accordance with the Governor's (Reeder's) pro- 
clamation, and, as was anticipated, ousted the Free Soil mem- 
bers from their seats. This was another outrage. 

"This Legislature — styled Bogus, by the Free Soil party — met, 
in accordance with the Governor's proclamation, at Pawnee, a 
paper city on the extreme verge of civilization, with no house to 
shelter them from the inclemency of the weather. I was present, 
and shall never forget the first meeting of the Kansas Legisla- 
ture; for to me, at least, it was a most novel sight to see grave 
council-men and brilliant orators of the House of Representa- 
tives cooking their food by the side of a log, or sleeping on a 
buffalo-robe in the open air, with the broad canopy of heaven 
for a covering. 

" During this meeting of the Legislature at Pawnee, we had 
several severe showers, and it was amusing enough to behold 
these Romuluses of Kansas, as they scampered, with their beds 
upon their backs — like an Irish pedlar — to some new houses which 
boasted neither window nor door, and kept out but illy the 
pelting storm. There were but two things in abundance at 
Pawnee — rocky mounds and highly-rectified whisky. 

" Being fairly drowned out, the Legislature at length 
adjourned to Shawnee Mission, whereupon the Governor 
vetoed the Bill ; this was the final rupture between the 
Governor and the Legislature; then came the tug of war. 
Both parties from this moment broke out into open hosti- 
lity. The Governor and his Free-Soil friends repudiated the 
Legislature and its acts, and bid defiance to both ; they spoke 
of it as the Missouri Bogus Legislature. The Legislature, on 
their part, were not slow to retaliate; they racked their inge- 
nuity to insult and aggravate the Free Soil party, and if 
possible widen the breach already existing between the two con- 




S E 



THE SO-CALLED BOGUS LEGISLATURE. 289 

tending factions, for I can scarcely dignify with the name of 
party those who condescend to such a petty warfare as exists 
between the Kansas agitators. The Legislature, in the first 
place, memorialized President Pierce to remove Governor Reeder, 
which was done, but avowedly for another office, the Kaw Land 
speculation. They then attempted to padlock the mouths of the 
Free boilers by preventing their expressing an opinion as to 
the right of individuals to hold slaves in Kansas Territory. 
Their next move was to appoint officers to put this padlock on, 
or in other words to execute their laws, and as most of the mem- 
bers lived in Missouri, it was no very singular thing that they 
had friends to reward in that State, who were patriotic enough 
to "move into Kansas" if they could get an office there; this 
several of them did, and accordingly came into the Territory 
with their commissions in their pockets. Iu due time the Legis- 
lature closed this, their labor of love, and returned to the bosom 
of their families, with their well-earned pay in their pockets, with 
which to improve their farms in Jackson and other counties of 
Missouri. 

"The Free Soilers now took the field in earnest, by holding 
conventions, passing resolutions, and listening to inflammatory 
appeals to the worst passions of their nature, to resist even unto 
death the enactments of the Kansas quasi Legislature. Things 
went on thus until the 26th of November, 1855, when a 
warrant was issued by a justice of the peace, and put into the 
hands of the sheriff of Douglas County, for service. The sheriff 
was met by a body of armed men and his prisoner — one Jacob 
Branson — rescued. The rescuers then brought Branson into 
the town of Lawrence, during the night, where their drum beat 
to arms, and by eight next morning a town meeting was called, 
and a committee of safety appointed, to take measures accord- 
ingly. From this moment our troubles began in earnest — Sheriff 
Jones sent au express to Governor Shannon for aid to protect 

13 



290 SO MOTE IT BE. 

him in carrying out the laws. In the mean time the Governor 
issued his proclamation calling out the militia to enforce the 
laws. Others sent runners into Missouri, for assistance to aid the 
militia, and by Saturday, Dec. 1st, the forces on both sides 
began to arrive in great numbers. The Free Soilers flocked to 
Lawrence, the militia to Lecompton, and the Missourians to the 
Wakarusa camp. The Free Soilers were occupied from the 1st 
to the 8th of Dec. in throwing up breastworks to defend the 
place. All work and business was suspended, and martial law 
ruled supreme. 

" Picket guards were sent out every night to observe the 
army of invasion. Prisoners were taken on both sides — the 
allied, or Pro-Slavery army, examined and pressed whatever 
came in their way; even the United States mail was detained 
and stopped upon the road ; in fact, all communication with 
Lawrence was cut off on the side nearest the State Line. On 
Friday evening, Dec. 1th, an express was sent to Governor 
Shannon, who visited our town and inquired into the state of 
affairs, and acknowledged that he had been greatly deceived as 
to the position of the citizens of Lawrence. His Excellency 
finally concluded a treaty of peace with the officers of the Free 
Soil army, by which it was understood that there was to be no 
more forcible resistance to the law, but all should have their legal 
remedy through the courts. Thus ended the Kansas war. 
The sheriff, Jones, has made several arrests since the compro- 
mise without interruption, and a better feeling seems to prevail. 
So mote it be. 

11 .Now, in justice to the people of Lawrence, I must say that a 
large and respectable portion of this community did not endorse 
the acts of the rescuers of Branson, nor did they countenance an 
armed resistance to the law. This spirit of lawlessness came 
from the rabble as a general thing — or the most notorious Aboli- 
tionists. I have lived among these people for the last ten months, 



THE TWO WHO DIDN T FIGHT. 291 

and have heard most of their speakers, and have listened to but 
two who advocated an armed resistance, and neither of those were 
here upon the day of the disturbance. I do not say that they 
were frightened, but they had business which unfortunately took 
them away just at that time. 

11 Though the Free State men deny the legality of the acts of 
the so-called Bogus Legislature, and are determined to resist 
them to the death, they are not prepared to adopt the ridiculous 
alternative of preventing the execution of their enactments — un- 
less by a legal process through some regularly established Court 
of Justice. It was the threats of the Missourians which induced 
the people of Lawrence to fortify their town, and organize them- 
selves as a military force: — they did not, therefore, desire to bid 
defiance to the law, but to defend their lives and property from 
anticipated violence." 

And so endeth the narrative of this Pro-Slavery Christian. 
We have read it over to several of our Lawrence Free State 
friends, who seem to consider it a very impartial document — the 
only passage excepted to being that in relation to the want of 
accommodations for the Kansas Legislature, while in session at 
Pawnee, in regard to which our Free State informants affirm 
that there were some houses there, and that if the Kansas Legis- 
lature, or to speak more correctly, its components, had really 
wished to obtain " board and lodging," they could have found 
both, either at Paivnee, or within a very short distance of that 
place; but it is alleged that the "Missouri Bogus Legislature," 
as the good people here delight to designate that august body, 
rather preferred to play at camping out, until the " severe showers'* 
came, with " healing in their wings," to give these Romuluses of 
Kansas, as Christian calls tbem, a reasonable excuse for trans- 
ferring the scene of their deliberations from Pawnee to Shawnee 
Mission, which, as the reader will perceive, was, so far as the 
names of the places are concerned, a mere matter of moonshine, 



292 PAWNEE. 

insomuch as there is only a difference of two letters. Having 
never seen Pawnee ourselves — though if it be less endurable than 
the Mission, it must be comfortless indeed — we are rejoiced to say 
that we cannot throw any light upon the matter in dispute. Nor 
would we if we could — for we haven't made up our mind upon 
the Kansas question yet, and don't intend to — at least upon 
paper; for our object in writing this book — besides its purely 
selfish ones — is to give the facts, and then leave that sagacious 
individual, the reader, whoever he may be, to form opinions for 
himself. So " pitch in" either way, gentlemen politicians, Pro- 
Slavery or Free Soil, as your fancy leads yon, and may the 
printers' devil, or whatever other saint watches over the destinies 
of scribblers, forbid that we — the author — should pen one line 
that might bias your inclinations — " av' they be vartuons." 



FROM THE VERY BEST AUTHORITY. 293 



CHAPTER XXX. 

THE FREE STATE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. 

January. — We have been favored by a long conversation 
upon Kansas matters to-day, with Major General Charles Robin- 
son, the Commander-in-Chief of the Free State army — or Kansas 
Volunteers, to call them by their legitimate appellation — and 
as this gentleman has very kindly furnished us with a history — 
the Free State version of course — of these unhappy disturbances 
between our fellow-citizens of Kansas and Missouri, we will in- 
troduce it here, premising, as we do so, that we believe this 
statement to be well worthy of attention, for we have written it 
down word for word from the General's own lips, and we are 
free to confess, that there is no politician, upon either side, in the 
Territory, who bears a higher reputation, among both friends 
and foes, for personal integrity, and undoubted veracity, than 
does Major General Charles Robinson. 

MAJOR GENERAL ROBINSON'S HISTORY OF THE WAR. 

" In the month of November last, a rumor reached Lawrence 
that a man named Dow, a settler at Hickory Point, some ten 
miles distant from that place, had been killed by one Coleman, 
without provocation on the part of Dow. It was also reported 
that no attempt had been made, nor would be made, to arrest 
the murderer; and, moreover, that a number of the settlers at 



294 A FREE STATE HISTORY OF THE WAR. 

Hickory Point had called a meeting to take the matter into 
consideration — at which, one or more citizens of Lawrence were 
present. Certain resolutions were passed, in reference to bring- 
ing Coleman to justice. After this meeting was dissolved, and 
as the Hickory Point settlers were returning to their homes in 
the evening, it was discovered that a party were in pursuit of one 
Jacob Branson, a resident of that neighborhood, with whom 
Dow had lived. Tearing that he would be ' lynched/ the Hickory 
Point settlers determined to ascertain the real purpose of this 
intended arrest. While engaged in taking council upon this 
subject, a party of some fifteen men, who had assembled near 
the house of Mr. Abbot, at Blanton's, saw an equal number, or 
thereabouts, of horsemen advancing towards them, whereupon 
they hailed this party, who had halted, and inquired if one 
Branson was with them, to which Branson replied that he was, 
and a prisoner. The Free State or Hickory Point men then 
directed Branson to leave those whom he was with, and come 
over to them, which he accordingly did. The rescuing party 
then came with Branson to Lawrence, arriving in the night. 
The drum was beaten, and a gathering held, without formal 
notice, in School House hall, at about eight o'clock a. m. of the day 
following Branson's arrest. Here the incidents as they occurred 
were related by Branson and others of the rescuing party. I 
was not aware of this assemblage being held (Dr. Robinson 
resides upon the bluff, which is nearly half a mile distant from 
the main body of the town), and did not, therefore, attend until 
near its close. After hearing the speakers, the meeting appointed 
a committee of ten persons, of which I was one, to examine into 
the matter, and report the course which, under the circumstances, 
was most proper to be pursued. Another committee of three 
was also appointed to wait upon Judge Cameron, then residing 
in Lawrence, who had issued the warrant upon which Branson 
had been arrested, and inquire by what authority he had done 



GENERAL ROBINSON COUNSELS PRUDENCE. 295 

so. At the close of the meeting I was called upon to speak, and 
accordingly made some remarks to the effect that we should not 
array ourselves against the laws of the United States in any- 
thing that we might do. I counselled prudence generally. The 
meeting continued in session until noon, and then adjourned to 
re-convene at two o'clock, p. m., and receive the reports of the 
committees. Upon rendering these, the Committee of ten stated, 
that the citizens of Lawrence and its vicinity were without the 
protection of law, and in view of this circumstance, proposed the 
immediate enrollment of all such persons as were willing to arm 
themselves in the defence of law and order; they furthermore 
recommended the appointment of a standing Committee of ten, 
to be styled the Committee of Public Safety. This report was 
adopted, and the Committee of ten, already selected, were ac- 
cordingly appointed members of this standing committee. The 
committee of three reported that they had obtained an interview 
with Judge Cameron, who stated that he acted in the matter of 
Branson's arrest by virtue of authority vested in him by the 
Territorial Legislature. This closed the acts of the meeting. 
The Committee of Public Safety then organized, by selecting one 
of their number — myself — to act as the Military Commander of 
the Free State army, in case of an attack, which was then con- 
fidently expected, for it was currently reported that the town of 
Law T rence had been threatened with demolition by the Mis- 
sourians. I was the presiding officer of the committee, but not 
the chairman. The committee then proceeded to take action by 
enrolling such persons — citizens of Lawrence and its vicinity — as 
were willing to serve. I caunot recollect the number, whose 
names were given in at that time. We finally enrolled eight 
hundred, and could have brought one thousand fighting men into 
the field, in case of an attack. These enrolled men were all 
irmed with Sharpe's rifles, or shot guns, and were well supplied 
vith ammunition — many had pistols — those not enrolled were 



296 THE FREE STATE KANSAS VOLUNTEERS. 

for the most part armed with some kind of weapon. "We had, 
moreover, cannon." 

(Meaning, as we have since learned from another source, a 
mounted howitzer, with one hundred rounds *of Shrapnell shot. 
The first organization of these men, as we have been informed, 
by G. P. Lowrey, Esq., the chairman of the Committee on 
Public Safety, was into squads of fifteen or twenty men, under 
the command of captains; these were afterwards changed, as 
recruits came in, into companies, and organized into a regiment 
of infantry, under the command of Col. J. H. Lane, who finally, 
when another regiment was added, was made a Brigadier 
General, and placed in command — under Major General Rob- 
inson — of the 1st Brigade of Kansas Volunteers. Mr. Lowrey 
also states, that the number at present enrolled is between eight 
hundred and one thousand men, of whom eight hundred are 
armed with Sharpe's rifles, the remainder being provided with 
western rifles, or double-barrelled shot-guns; there is also a com- 
pany of mounted men, 10 in all, armed with revolvers and 
sabres, or in lieu of these, pikes with scythe or sabre-blades 
attached, which were carefully sharpened). 

" From the time of the formation of this Committee of Public 
Safety, the Pro-Slavery forces began to accumulate from Missouri 
and other quarters — their numbers being variously estimated at 
different times, from two hundred to two thousand men. 

" When the people of Lawrence finally learned that a large 
force was collected both above and below this place, and that an 
attack might be speedily expected, we commenced fortifying the 
place; these fortifications were earth-works, thrown up by our 
volunteers under the superintendence of Col. Lane. Nor did 
we, in the meanwhile, neglect to set forth our condition, and 
seek aid from every official source from whence it could be hoped 
for. We sent people into the Territory to represent the condi- 
tion of the people of Lawrence. We applied to the commanders 



THE FREE SOILERS SEEK AID. 29t 

of the United States military posts in Kansas, for the means 
with which to repel these Missourian marauders, who were even 
then threatening our town with destruction. We also dispatched 
a communication to Governor Shannon, to inquire if these so- 
called militia were menacing us by his order, and if so, calling 
upon him either to restrain or remove them from our vicinity, 
or we should be compelled to seek aid from higher authority — 
referring to the Chief Executive of the nation, General Pierce, 
to whom we sent a telegraphic dispatch of similar import. A 
memorial was moreover drawn up and signed, and a messenger 
sent to lay it before Congress, and request an investigation by 
that body of our acts, and the causes which prompted them. 
In the meantime, the Pro-Slavery forces continued to augment, 
and committed depredations upon travellers and the country gene- 
rally, by robbing wagons, taking prisoners, interfering with peace- 
able travellers upon the public highway, and even stopping the 
United States mail. And in addition to these unprovoked out- 
rages, they showed an evident disposition to excite our people to 
acts of hostility, in firing nightly upon our picket guards, by 
which, however, as it fortunately happened, no one was hurt. 
In the meanwhile the Governor's proclamation made its appear- 
ance for the first time in Lawrence, how, or in what manner, I ana 
unable to say. No copies were ever sent to us in an official way, 
nor had any communication been held with us up to this time, 
as a community, either by Governor Shannon, Sheriff Jones, or 
any other Territorial officer, in his official capacity. Nor was 
any attempt made to arrest the rescuers of Branson, or any 
other person in Lawrence. While our people were in this state 
of ignorance as regarded the objects and intentions of the Pro- 
Slavery army, one of our citizens, a man named Thomas W. 
Barber, while on his way to his home, some five miles distant from 
this place, was mortally wounded by two of the sheriff's posse. 
This increased the excitement among our volunteers to such an 

13* 



298 THE GOVERNOR SMILES UPON LAWRENCE. 

extent, that it required the utmost exertions on the part of their 
officers to restrain them from attacking the offending parties. 
It was about this time that Governor Shannon first communi- 
cated with us, by a letter dated from the Executive office at 
Shawnee Mission." 

[Note. — We have endeavored to obtain a copy of this epistle 
but were unable to do so.] 

11 He added a verbal message to the effect that he would talk 
with us in person soon. This had an influence in allaying the 
excitement, for our people were determined to forbear, so long as 
there was any reasonable hope of coming to an amicable under- 
standing with the hostile forces. Our next advices from Governor 
Shannon came through a verbal message from the Wakarusa camp, 
whither his Excellency had gone to take the command of his army. 
It simply informed us of the time when he purposed visiting Law- 
rence. We accordingly sent out an escort who met him at Frank- 
lin, and accompanied him into our town ; several of his Pro- 
Slavery friends came with him. Upon his arrival here, the Gover- 
nor was introduced to some of our citizens, and then had a private 
interview with General Lane, and myself, as representatives of the 
citizens of Lawrence ; in the course of which he admitted that 
there had been a misunderstanding, and appeared anxious to get 
out of the difficulty. He acknowledged, moreover, that he saw 
nothing out of the way, thus far, in the course pursued by the 
citizens of Lawrence in arming themselves for their defence. 
In fact, so perfectly satisfied was Governor Shannon of the jus- 
tice of our position, that there was at this time no obstacle in 
the way of an immediate cessation of hostilities, save this : that 
he feared he would be unable to control his men, and therefore 
desired to await the arrival of the United States troops, then 
momentarily expected from Fort Leavenworth. His Excellency 
furthermore declared, that if he were to inform his command, that 
he (the Governor) had concluded peace with the citizens of 



MISSOURI IS SATISFIED WITHOUT FIGHTING. 299 

Lawrence, without demanding an unconditional surrender of 
their arms, they would at once raise the ' Black Flag/ and 
march upon the town. 

" After the termination of this interview, Governor Shannon 
and his friends remained with us as our guests until late in the 
afternoon, when they departed, the Governor promising to 
return the following day at 8 o'clock a. m. He accordingly 
reentered Lawrence on the ensuing day, at a somewhat later 
hour than he had designated. A statement mutually agreeable 
to both parties was then drawn up and signed by Governor 
Shannon, as the chief Executive of Kansas Territory, on the one 
side, and Brigadier General J. H. Lane and myself, as the Com- 
manders-in-chief of the patriots of Kansas, on the other. This 
consumed the day until 4 o'clock p. m. General Lane and 
myself, at the request of Governor Shannon, then accompanied 
him to Franklin, to meet a committee of thirteen captains of 
the Pro-Slavery army. This was done, to satisfy the Governor's 
posse, who, as before intimated, were disposed to demand an un- 
conditional surrender of our arms, as a sine qua non in the terms 
of our treaty. Upon uniting with this committee, the Governor 
made a lengthy speech, without apparently satisfying the Mis- 
souri captains that he had done his duty in coming to an nder- 
standiug with the citizens of Lawrence, which should leave 
them in possession of their arms, or in a position for defence. 
After a prolonged and somewhat excited debate, the stipulations, 
as set forth in our paper of agreement, were recited, and a 
majority of the captains decided that they had, under the circum- 
stances, no right to demand our weapons, and would, therefore, 
retire peaceably with their men. This was on Saturday night, 
(Dec. 8th.) General Lane and myself then invited the captains 
to visit Lawrence, see the town, and become acquainted with our 
people : to which we added the assurance that if they knew us 
better they would esteem us more. 



300 SHANNON MEETS THE LADIE3. 

" On the ensuing day, Governor Shannon visited us, dined 
with a party of our citizens, and was introduced to several of 
our ladies. This was at the Free State Hotel, in an upper 
chamber some 12 by 18 feet in size, which was then occupied 
by a committee of twelve ladies of Lawrence, who had met 
there to arrange a social gathering, to take place on the follow- 
ing day (Monday, Dec. 10). This festivity was gotten up as 
a sort of general peace-demonstration, to be attended without 
distinction of party. While the Governor was thus pleasantly 
engaged in conversation with the ladies, it was reported to me 
that the disbanded Pro-Slavery forces were reorganizing for an 
attack upon the town. This came from the officer of the guard. 
I immediately sought the Governor and informed him of this 
rumor, and also of the fact that we were acting without autho- 
rity, and if a collision should ensue and any one be killed, we 
would be liable to be tried for murder. I therefore suggested 
to him the propriety of giving us a written authority to pro- 
tect ourselves and the town. To this he readily assented, by 
saying that if I would draw up such a paper he would sign it, 
which was accordingly done." 

And now, General, said we, there is yet another matter, and 
we trust that your modesty will not refuse us a request which 
we are about to make ; you are a public character, and as such, 
may in some measure be regarded as public property; the world 
will soon ask, if it is not already doing so, " Who is General 
Robinson ?" enable us, then, if you please, to answer this ques- 
tion, by informing " all whom it may concern " who General 
Robinson is; or, in other words, give us the necessary data to 
write out an outline, if nothing more, of your previous self, and 
we will try and manage your present without assistance. 

Now, it is only right, — for we like diffidence in a great 
man, though brass is, as a general thing, much more highly 
appreciated, — to state that this Free State soldier and politi- 



GENERAL ROBINSON CONSENTS. 301 

cian, yielded with considerable reluctance to our request, and 
then only when it was repeated urgently. But as we did obtain 
the desired data from this distinguished individual we will 
introduce by way of a finale to the present chapter a 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF MAJOR GENERAL CHARLES ROBINSON. 

Charles Robinson was born in Worcester County, Mass., on 
the 2 1st of July, 1818; was educated at Amherst College, but 
did not, we believe, graduate at that institution ; studied medi- 
cine at the Medical College in Pittsfield, Mass., where he 
received his diploma as an M. D., in 1843; practised his profes- 
sion at Belchertown and Fitchburg, in the same State, until his 
removal to California in 1849, by way of the Rocky Mountains. 
Upon arriving in the El Dorado of the West, Dr. Robinson set- 
tled at Sacramento, where he played a prominent part in the 
" squatter riots" of 1850, in which, as the reader may perhaps 
remember, the Mayor of Sacramento, and some eight or ten 
others, lost their lives. Upon this occasion, Dr. Robinson 
fought upon the side of " squatter sovereignty," and was seri- 
ously wounded — it was asserted, mortally, at the time. For his 
alleged conduct upon this occasion, and while still suffering 
from a desperate hurt, Dr. Robinson was indicted for murder, 
assault with intent to kill, and for conspiracy; tried before the 
District Court of Sacramento — and acquitted. While still in 
confinement, on board the prison-ship, he was nominated and 
elected to the Legislature of California, from Sacramento dis- 
trict. This was in 1851. In July of the same year, he sailed 
from California in the steamship Union, which was wrecked on 
her passage to the Isthmus ; in the difficulties which followed 
this disaster, Robinson is said to have borne an active and con- 
servative part. After many delays, he finally managed to reach 
New York city, in September of 1851 ; was at Havana at the 



302 ROBINSON IS LIONIZED. 

time of the Lopez execution, and a witness to that cold-blooded 
murder. Upon his return to the East, Dr. R. recommenced the 
practice of medicine, in Fitchburg, where he remained until June 
of 1854, when he emigrated with his family to Kansas. Here, 
he settled himself at Lawrence, where he still resides upon his 
" claim," some half a mile distant from the main body of the 
town. Unlike his compatriot, General Lane, Dr. Robinson — 
or, as we should now begin to call him, General Robinson — does 
not call himself a man of property ; he says he is simply " a 
poor man whose business prospects have been sadly damaged by 
the war." 

In Kansas politics, Gen. Robinson was a member of the State 
Constitutional Convention — is chairman of the Free State Execu- 
tive Committee, and in addition to this, holds the military rank of 
Major-General and Commander-in-Chief, of the Kansas Volunteers 
— as the Free State army of Kansas style themselves. He may 
be regarded as the real head — the thinking one, we mean — and 
mainspring of the Free State party; or, to speak more correctly, 
of all that party who are worth anything. We believe him to be 
a keen, shrewd, far-seeing man, who would permit nothing to 
stand in the way of the end which he desired to gain. He is, 
moreover, cool and determined, and appears to be endowed with 
immense firmness; we should call him a conservative man, now ; 
but conservative rather from policy than from principle. He 
seems to have strong common sense, and a good ordinary brain, 
but no brilliancy of talent. In fact, to sum Gen. Robinson up in 
a single sentence, we consider him the most dangerous enemy 
which the Pro-Slavery party have to encounter in Kansas. 

In person he is tall, well made, and more than ordinarily 
handsome; gentlemanly, but by no means winning in his man- 
ners, with one of those cold, keen blue eyes that seem to look 
you through. 



A BRILLIANT INCIDENT OF THE WAR. 303 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

THE HEROES OF THE WAR. 

The following anecdote, which we find noted down upon our 
journal for to-day, may well be styled the most brilliant incident 
of that renowned struggle, " the Wakarusa War," at least upon 
the Free-State side of the question. We don't vouch for its 
truthfulness, but as it comes from "high authority," as a bona 
fide event of the campaign, we feel bound to chronicle it here, 
the more so as it is really a very readable story : 

It would seem that a certain Major Blank — we have a fond- 
ness for Blanks, for who ever heard of a Mister Blank, or even 
a Major Blank bringing an action for libel — we really don't 
know that we give our soldier rank enough, for in good truth, he 
ought to be a General of Brigade, if a most impudent, but 
withal cunningly-devised stratagem, can brevet a Kansas volun- 
teer. But to get on with our narrative, the stronghold of Free 
State-ism was besieged, and the excitement upon both sides, as 
the newspapers say, tremendous. Old muskets were in demand, 
rifles at a premium, and six-shooters worth their weight in 
gold, but though these were to be had, there was yet a desideratum 
in the way of fighting-tools, which had of late become a matter of 
serious perplexity to the military chiefs in Lawrence — they lacked 
artillery. Nor did their want seem likely to be supplied, when — 
as luck would have it, a messeuger trotted into town with the 
gratifying intelligence, that some sympathizing New Yorker had 



304 MAJOR BLANK OF THE FREE STATE VOLUNTEERS. 

sent a six or twelve-pounder (we have forgotten which), with 
ammunition to match, to assist their troops in killing off the 
" Border Ruffians," and moreover, that this " material aid 1 ' was 
now lying all snugly boxed and safely stowed away, in the ware- 
house of a Kansas City commission merchant. But Kansas 
City was one of " the enemy's " strongholds — Pro-Slavery up to 
the hub — and how to get the piece into Lawrence, over guarded 
roads, and in troublous times, without exciting a suspicion, which 
would have undoubtedly changed the destination of this " peace- 
maker," was a problem which might well have puzzled the inge- 
nuity of that very acute practitioner, a "Philadelphia lawyer." 
But, as our Free State warriors had a sprinkling, of the real 
wooden-nutmeg, calculating, Deown East Yankee breed among 
their counselors, it was not very long, before they laid their 
sagacious heads together and hammered out a plan for its deliv- 
erance. 

As the reader may readily suppose, there were but few to 
whom the particulars of this notable scheme were communicated, 
at least at the time, so it excited but little curiosity, when 
Major Blank, of the Quarter-Master's department, accompanied 
by two or three travelling friends, rolled out of Massachusetts 
street one winter morning, in a stout Pennsylvania wagon, drawn 
by a couple of active mules, and took the road for Kansas City, 
which, as everybody knows, is located on the Missouri river, near 
the frontier line of the territory. 

Upon reaching their place of destination, our Major — who had, 
with very unusual modesty, dropped his title for the time being, 
thereby reducing his appellation to plain Mister Blank, who was 
presumed to be a citizen of Lawrence, journeying to Kansas 
City on business of his own — lost no timo in waiting upon 
the commission merchant, and accordingly repaired to his store- 
house, where he sauntered in with a very nonchalant air, at the 
same time remarking " that as he was going back to town 



YANKEE WIT VERSUS MISSOURI SAGACITY. 305 

with a wagon that was most empty, he guessed he might as well 
take a box or tew along with him," which he understood had 
been stored there for a friend of his, one Mr. John Smith of 
Lawrence, who had requested him, if he could do so conven- 
iently, to bring them along with him upon his return trip. Now as 
Mr. Blank was an accommodating sort of chap, and moreover, 
wanted to oblige his very good friend, " Mr. John Smith, of 
Lawrence," he "calculated that it wouldn't put him out of his 
way, and so he'd take 'em, and run the risk of gettin' pay for 
his trouble." 

Now our commission merchant was a red-hot Pro-Slavery 
man, who would as soon thought of taking the wages of the 
foul fiend himself, as of assisting " those rascally abolitionists 
in Lawrence," by either word or deed. But as the thing looked 
all right, he was fain to point out the boxes — there were but 
two, one of them containing the gun and the other its carriage — 
which the Major receipted for, and was about getting into 
his wagon with such speed as their weight would permit, when 
the Pro-Slavery man — made suspicious, it may be, by some pecu- 
liarity in their appearance — objected, and the following dialogue 
ensued ; 

Pro- Slavery Merchant. — Look hyar, stranger, thar's somethin' 
mighty dubersome about them boxes. They say you Lawrence 
folks air gitting all manner of curious traps up thar, to wipe 
out our boys with, and I'll jest allow to hev a squint inter them 
goods afore they roll out of Kansas City. 

Free State Major. — Waal I guess, Mister, there ain't nothin' 
extra in 'em no how. I don't know for certin, but John Smith 
says he's expectin' a buggy-wagon, along with some other notions, 
which his folks are a sendin' out from York State, and I 
shouldn't wonder if it wan't them. But I guess they might 
hev bought it a tarnation sight cheaper in Saint Louie, and 
saved payin' freight, beside, don't yeou ? 



306 THE STRANGER STEPS IN TO DRIXE. 

Pro- Slavery Merchant. — I don't kear nothin' fur that, but I'll 
be dog-gauned ef I don't think it's about reasonable to hist a 
lid off of them thar boxes, and see what's inside fur myself. 
Well I do, stranger. 

Free State Merchant. — Waal, I kinder sorter expect that ef 
yeou'r willin' tu take the risk, it won't make no great difference 
to Mister Smith, any way, ef yeou du, so here goes; hand us 
that axe, will yeou, Sam ? 

At this stage of the conversation, Mister Blank seized the 
axe and knocked up one side of the lid of the larger receptacle, 
which, as he well knew, contained the wheels, and then threw 
down the instrument, at the same time calling out trium- 
phantly, 

" There, Mister, didn't I tell yeou, jest look for yeourself. 
Guess you'll say I'm right another time; ef that ain't a buggy- 
wagon it ain't nothin' at all. Don't yeou see the wheels ?" 

Being thus urged, our Pro-Slavery merchant peeped in, saw 
what he supposed, in the uncertain light of the building, to be 
a pair of wheels, and feeling, perhaps, a little crest-fallen at this 
" lame and impotent conclusion " of his suspicious scrutiny, 
11 acknowledged the corn " by saying, 

" Well, I'll jest allow I wor a spot too particular this time; so 
hist tbem inter your wagon, boys, and roll out as lively as you 
choose. Jim, you infernal nigga, whar air you; come hyar, and 
help these gentlemen pack thar plunder. Stranger," added he, 
turning to the Major, " mout I ask you to step inter the office 
and take a drink ? I've a powerful far article of corn whisky in 
thar." 

While the " stranger " stepped in to drink, the gentlemen, 
assisted by " that infernal lazy nigga, Jim," made good use 
of their hands ; for by the time the Major and his Pro- 
Slavery friend had finished " imbibing," and exchanging their 
parting assurances of very distinguished consideration, the boxes, 



YANKEE WIT IN A FIX. 307 

with their concealed munitions of war, were all ready, in one 
sense, to go off, having been securely stowed upon the bottom 
of the conveyance, with an upper covering, most ingeniously 
arranged, of tin pails, wicker-work, wooden ware, and such like 
"Yankee notions," which formed an excellent screen for the 
real valuables of the load, and at the same time gave an air of 
greater innocence to this masked flying battery. 

So being all right, they rolled out of Kansas City, and went 
on their way rejoicing. But our Free State Major's anxieties 
were not yet over, for they had barely reached a point upon the 
Lawrence trail, known as Wyandotte Hill, when the mules 
11 stalled," and their wagon stuck fast in the mud. What was 
to be done ? One thing was evident, that it would never do to 
unload their cargo, while every avenue which led to Lawrence 
was fairly alive with those terrible fellows, the Border Ruffians, 
who would, in all human probability, have " made no bones," 
that is to say, left not a whole bone in the skins of our Major 
and his party, if they had caught them with their " contraband 
of war." It " was a fix," as the Major afterwards expressed it, 
" of the darndest kind." In the mean while time was passing, 
and things began to look desperate. But Major Blank was a 
small Napoleon in such dilemmas ; so after scratching his per- 
plexed pate silently, as if he had an idea under the hair, and 
might get it out by friction, for at least five minutes, he turned 
suddenly towards his men, while a quiet smile crept over his 
face, like sunshine after shade, and exclaimed, " I've hit it. boys. 
I calkulate we've played these Missouri Pukes one real Yankee 
trick; and now tarnation seize 'em, we'll treat them to another, 
and, if they only knew it, a darned sight the smartest of the 
tew. Jest wait awhile till some of them nigger-drivin' fellers 
come this way, and see if we don't git all the help we want." 

And having thus delivered himself, our Major picked a dry 
seat by the side of the road, where he squatted down upon his 



308 THE BORDER RUFFIANS HELP YANKEE WIT. 

haunches, and struck up Yankee Doodle to kill time. But he had 
got no further than 

"Yankee Doodle keep it up, 
Yankee Doodle dandy ; 
When all yeour lasses biles away, 
Yeou can't expect much candy," 

when the " nigger-drivin' fellers," who were to furnish the 
expected aid, made their appearance in the shape of a detach- 
ment of " Border Ruffians," all armed and equipped, and en 
route to reinforce the Pro-Slavery encampment upon the 
Wakarusa bottom. Nor was their march either a silent or an 
orderly one, for they came, cursing the Abolitionists at every 
stride, until, like Saul of old, they might fairly be accused of 
"breathing out threatening^ and slaughter" as they went. 

But for all this our Yankee Major knew right well that to 
help a man's wagon out of the mud is but an every-day western 
courtesy, and even Missouri " Pukes " are much too well " raised " 
to permit even a political prejudice to interfere with their good 
breeding. So when our Free State officer straightened himself 
up, and hailed their leader — who looked as if he had kept on " a 
chillen' " until the ague had shook all the flesh off his bones — 
by drawling out, 

" Waal, neow, Kernel, guess yeou'd let some of yeour men lend 
a feller in trouble a helpin' hand, wouldn't yeou ; for I'm stalled 
down yeou see ?" 

The response was a hearty one, for "the enemy "not only 
hitched on a couple of their own horses to assist the efforts of 
the well-nigh exhausted mules, but even put their sturdy 
shoulders to the wheel, and thus extricated the Free State 
Artillery from that most unrelenting of detainers, a Kansas mud 
hole, where it might have stuck, but for their volunteer exer- 
tions, until the " crack of doom," without making a report, no — 
not even in the newspapers. 



YANKEE WIT IS MUCH OBLIGED. 309 

Being thus happily relieved from his embrogiw, Major Blank 
said his " good day to yeou, gentlemen," and " I'm railley 
obleeged to yeou ;" and then, having first pretended to employ 
himself about his wagon until his late benefactors were fairly 
out of sight, our military chieftain took a long squint ahead, 
cocked his starboard eye knowingly at his companions, told the 
driver to start up his team, and then proceeded with the strain of 

"Yankee Doodle 'tis a tune 
Americans delight in," 

as if he hadn't a care, or even the shadow of one, west of the 
Alleghany Mountains. 

From this point, says our informant, the Free State sol- 
diers and their cannon journeyed prosperously on until they 
were within some ten or fifteen miles of their destination, 
when their leader (the Major) left the party and rode ahead, 
after agreeing with his men upon certain signs, such as dropping 
cards by the wayside, which would forewarn them in case he dis- 
covered any danger of interruption upon the road. But our 
Free State commander was evidently not only shrewd, but 
lucky, for he found none to molest nor make him afraid ; so in 
due course of time, the " pacificator " and its guardians entered 
the main street of Lawrence to add their valuable aid to the 
earth-work defences of that beleaguered city. 

It is furthermore reported that on the ensuing day, when the 
modus operandi of this affair (which was almost too good to keep 
quiet — the more so as there was no longer any need for secrecy), 
had reached the Pro-Slavery camp, not even a barrel of flour 
was permitted to pass "the enemy's" lines without being opened 
and thoroughly searched. But, alas for the "Border Ruffians!" 
all their precautions were but a repetition of that oft-practised 
prudence, which takes excellent care to "shut the stable door 
when the steed is gone." 



310 A DARNED MEAN YANKEE TRICK. 

If this be not what a Virginian would call a " darned mean 
Yankee trick," and one of the real, original, no-counection-with- 
any-other-establishment sort into the bargain, we should be 
pleased to know what is ? 

And now, for another bit of documentary Free State testimo- 
ny, which we shall present here in the shape of " a statement of 
facts connected with certain meetings, which were held in the 
town of Lawrence, on the day following the rescue of Branson 
from Sheriff Jones." For this information, we are indebted to 
the courtesy of Mr. Josiah Miller, the editor of the " Free State," 
and a citizen of Lawrence, in which place the journal alluded 
to is published. 

MR. MILLER'S STATEMENT. 

"On the day following the rescue of Branson from Sheriff 
Jones's posse, there was a meeting held at Lawrence, where the 
party who had effected his rescue had arrived, with Branson in 
company, at about four o'clock, a. m. Upon entering the town, 
the rescuers beat a drum about the streets, going through regu- 
lar military evolutions, with arms shouldered, etc. There was 
considerable excitement ; between eight and nine o'clock, a. m., 
a meeting was convened in ' Union Hall,' which, we understand, 
is called Union Hall, School House Hall, and by some, Robinson 
Hall. This meeting was got up by the rescuers of Branson, as 
all wished to hear a statement of the facts. About one hundred 
persons were present ; it was as fully attended as our town 
meetings generally are ; the assemblage nearly filled the house. 
S. N. Wood, the leader of the rescuing party, was present, with 
a sword buckled round him ; he was unanimously appointed 
chairman ; and, on taking his seat, made some vague and am- 
biguous remarks in regard to the rescue of Branson. He would 
not call it a rescue, but said they had simply ordered Branson 
to come out from Sheriff Jones's party and join theirs. He in- 



MR. MILLERS FREE STATE STATEMENT. 311 

tiraated that one of their number (Abbot), who gave this order, 
was the commander of the military company to which Branson 
belonged (the Wakarusa Co.), and had, therefore, a right to ex- 
ercise his military authority, by giving Branson a command, which 
he (Branson), as a military man, was bound to obey. Wood 
stated further, that, when Jones's people threatened to shoot 
Branson if he stirred, his men (the rescuers) cocked their Sharpens 
rifles, and would, in the event of the sheriff's party firing, have 
annihilated every man of them, as each of his people had picked 
his man. 

" Branson followed Wood, and gave an account of the circum- 
stances attending his arrest and rescue. He said that Sheriff 
Jones's party excited his suspicions by not taking a direct road 
(after leaving his house), but going from one Pro-Slavery settle- 
ment to another, in the vicinity of Hickory Point. He added 
that Jones never showed any writ on making the arrest. Bran- 
son said, that he was sleeping at the time of the sheriff's visit, 
and on being awakened by their knocking at the door, arose 
and opened it, when Jones rushed in, with a pistol iu either 
hand, followed by his party, and informed Branson that he was 
his prisoner. Jones did not state where he was to be taken, 
or for what purpose ; but he afterwards learned (though not 
from Jones), that he was goiug to Lawrence, to be examined 
upon a peace-warrant ; they provided him with an animal to 
ride. Branson did not appear to have been uncivilly treated 
while on the road. He further stated, that they proceeded 
on until they met the rescuing party ; when the rescuers com- 
manded Jones to halt, the parties were about eighty yards 
apart. Some of the rescuers then called out, " Is Branson 
there?" He answered, "Yes," whereupon they directed him 
to leave Jones's party and fall in with theirs. 

" Upon the conclusion of Branson's statement, a committee of 
ten was appointed, to take the matter into consideration, and, 



312 WHAT SHARPE'S RIFLES COST IN KANSAS. 

if necessary, prepare for the defence of Lawrence. This com- 
mittee was styled the Committee of Public Safety. They were 
all citizens of Lawrence. The ' Ten ' retired to consult, and 
concluded for the time, to act entirely upon the defensive, and, 
if Sheriff Jones came to arrest the rescuers, to permit it to be 
done. 

" I have omitted to state that, after the conclusion of Bran- 
son's remarks, it was 

" Resolved, That this meeting approves the conduct of the men 
who rescued Branson. 

" After some discussion, this motion, through the influence of 
General Robinson and others, was withdrawn. 

11 Violent speeches were then made by Anson H. Mallory, of 
Lawrence, the Quarter-master General to the Kansas Volun- 
teers, during the 'late war/ who wound up his remarks by 
moving, that a committee of three be appointed, to wait upon 
Hugh Cameron, Esq., a Justice of the Peace, uuder the Terri- 
torial Legislature, and inquire by what authority he issued the 
writ to arrest Branson. This was adopted, and a committee 
visited Judge Cameron accordingly, but with no better result 
than the information that he, Cameron, was acting under a 
commission from Governor Shannon, and issued the writ in ac- 
cordance with the authority thus vested in him, and on an affi- 
davit filed by one Buckley. 

11 The meeting then adjourned at noon, to re-comrnence at two, 
p. m., to receive the reports of its committees, at which time it 
met, when the reports were rendered, aud adopted, as above 
stated.' 1 

Our informant adds, that the Sharpe's rifles are, as he be- 
lieves, furnished to the Kansas Volunteers at twelve dollars, in 
Kansas scrip, which has been quoted — in Kansas — at a discount 
of fifty cents on the dollar. 



ill ft*, 
ill fern 

111 4Q&K 




A PRAIRIE HOME. 313 



CHAPTER XXXII 



HIS HONOR JUDGE PORTLY. 



January &k. — At a cabin upon the prairie, known as " Bar- 
ber's claim." 

We are sitting in company with a Free State settler's family, 
consisting of himself, his wife, sister, little ones, and friend, in 
the warmest apartment of the two which onr young frontiersman 
calls home. A wild winter storm howls drearily without, while 
the cold increases hourly — and although the table at which we 
are seated stands close to the stove, the chill air that finds its 
way through every nook and cranny of this comfortless — foul- 
weather residence — benumbs our stiffening fingers, which are 
striving, but in vain, to hold " the pen of a ready writer," as 
they jot down these inklings of adventure for to-day. 

We left Lawrence at an early hour this morning, in company 
with our friends, G. P. Lowry, Esq., of Free State celebrity, 
and a certain Mr. Eldridge, the proprietor of the " Eldridge 
House," — late Free State Hotel, that is to be, in Lawrence, and 
of whose establishment we shall speak more fully elsewhere. 
Our journey of to-day, if a matter of ten miles can be called a 
journey, was quite an impromptu affair, for when we settled our- 
selves to journalize at the " Cincinnati," between seven and 
eight o'clock, a. m., we had not the remotest intention of leaving 
Lawrence to-day; but as our friends were driving out upon the 

14 



314 AN IMPROMPTU JOURNEY. 

road which passes Squire Portly's — we will give him that name 
for want of a better — who, as everybody ought to know, is a 
gentleman with "a most capacious stomach," and high-strung 
Free Soil principles, we determined to accompany them, at 
least so far as his Honor's dwelling — for our friend Portly had 
"squatted' 7 within a mile or so of the residences of Barber's 
brother, widow, and brother-in-law, from whom we hoped to 
obtain a narrative of facts, connected with the shooting of Thomas 
W. Barber, who was, as the reader may already know, the only 
victim of the Free State Wakarusa war. 

A somewhat less than two hours of travel, over one of the 
bleakest of all bleak prairie roads, brought us through in a half 
frozen state to old Portly's " improvement" — a very snug, well 
chinked, Siamese — twin-like pair of log cabins, in one of which 
we found the fat Squire himself, looking the very picture of lazy 
contentment, as he sat with his short legs cocked comfortably 
up against the stove, while a long-stemmed, smoke-blackened, 
cob pipe protruded from its resting-place, between his few remain- 
ing teeth, at which his Honor kept sucking away as placidly as 
what he was pleased to term " a powerful smart spell of the 
phthisic" would permit. Upon our entrance) old Portly, whom 
we had met before, noticed the fact by grunting out a short- 
winded welcome, as he motioned us to a vacant rush-bottomed 
chair, which we had barely taken possession of, when the door 
opened, and the Judge's good lady added herself to the party 
already assembled, in the person of a keen-eyed, hard-featured 
little dame, the very antipodes, in externals at least, of her 
unctuous lord, for while the Judge was literally " a man of 
weight," who would have played but a sorry part either in a 
marching regiment, or a foot-race, his spouse was thin, even to 
a fault; indeed she was to all appearances but a mere rack of 
bones, over whose unpicturesque outline nature had condescended 
to draw an angular wrinkling of skiu, which, between " the ager," 



BQUIRE POETLY AND HIS DAME. 315 

exposure to the sun, and downright hard work, had finally 
become embrowned to an extent that quite carried out the idea 
of a well-dressed hide. In fact, Portly 's " lesser half" was really 
a wonder in her way; for though you might have been inclined 
at first sight to have said that this antiquated matron stood 
upon her last limbs — yet it was only necessary to face her battery 
of words to convince even the examiner of a Life Insurance Com- 
pany, that the old girl was, " barrin' accidents/' good for twenty 
years to come, for we will venture to say, that Madam Portly's 
powers of volubility were second to those of no other woman in 
the Territory; our long hostess, Miss Charity, always excepted. 
And didn't she give it to the Border Ruffians — and didn't she 
pitch into the Missourians — not to mention the Pro-Slavery 
side of the Wakarusa war in general, with a special addenda 
in favor of " Atchinson and his crew?" To "all of which" 
questions " and singular," candor compels us to make answer 
— well she did. 

But let us give the reader an extract — a random one withal 
— from a wonderful chapter of this good old lady's frontier 
experiences — which she poured out thick and fast — as his Honor 
Judge Portly was strapping on his buffalo overshoes to show us 
the way to "Barber's claim," which, as we have already hinted, 
was what Kansas men would call "near by," which — being 
translated — would in this instance signify a mile or so off; 
and now for a specimen of his "lesser half's" volubility: 

" Waal, stranger, yeou see it wor in thar fust part of thar 
evenin' — but not so dark as it mout be. Waal, I wor a settin' 
by thar stove, when thar come a knock to thar door, so I riz 
an' opened it, an' I'll jest allow that thar wor forty men in all a 
settin' on thar hosses around thar house. To be sure me and 
my old man the Squire thar, ave hed a few words about thar 
bein' that many, but I jest know I'm right; for thar's my darter 
Wetumpky, she that's thar married one — for yeou see she got a 



316 THAT PEART GAL WETUMPKY. 

man in Ingianny afore we moved to Kansas — an' she's a right 
peart woman, I kin tell yeou, stranger; more pearter, I reckon, 
than any gal of her raisin' that yeou ever sot yeour eyes on, I do 
expect. And Wetumpky jest up an' told thar old man, the 
other day, that he wor a gettin' so blind that he didn't know a 
hawk from a handsaw; and what wor more, that she seen them 
men herself, and she war jest willin' to swar, that if thar warn't 
a powerful sight on em, thar warn't nary one. So the Judge 
lies a kinder gin in lately, an' concluded that I wor right. 

" Wael, stranger, as I wor informin' on yeou, I riz, an' opened 
thar door, an' when I noticed who wor thar, I jest allowed that 
we wor all murdered ; fur yeou see, thar Judge wor away — 
though, to be sure, he's got to be considerably no account at 
fightin' since he's had the phthisic so powerful bad ; an' what 
wor more, got his thumb chawed up in a whisky scrape down in 
Ingiany ; and as fur thar boys, they wor done gone to a speech- 
ifying down to Lawrence ; so I kinder skeared — John Portly, 
whar's your manners ? Why don't yeou invite thar stranger to 
take a drink, instead of standin' thar, a-lookin' at us like a sick 
coon ? and he a goin' out inter that prairie, and thar Lord 
knows, that whisky never hurt no man when it air so powerful 
cold. Wael, as I wor a-tellin' yeou, stranger, I wor some 
skeared ; and I allow, that badly skeared, that I didn't say nary 
word fur nigh onto a minit ; but I got over it, stranger, fur 
yeou see, bein' Hoosier raised, I kin ginerally allow to take my 
own part right smartly ; so says I, Whar mout yeou come from, 
gentlemen ? and with that, they jest went on a-tellin' me a long 
rigmarole of stuff about how they wor from Iowa, and — Judge, 
I air astonished at yeou ! why don't yeou ask thar stranger to 
sugar ? Don't sugar, hey ? Wael, that air radiculous ! it air 
curous, too, fur I always allowed that thar Yorkers used a heap 
of sugar. But whar wor I? — oh, I wor a-tellin' yeou that thar men 
wor a savin' that they hed come from Iowa to help thar Free 



THE MISSOURIANS PRESCRIBE HANGING. 311 

State folks down in Lawrence to whip thar Missouri nigger- 
drivers that wor a-corniu' to burn thar town ; an' they talked 
like they wor the men that our folks wor expectin' down ; far 
we hed hearn, stranger, that thar wor help a-comin from up in 
Iowa ; but 1 jest knowed that these fellers wor a-lyin' to me from 
thar start ; an' I wor right, for directly one on 'em speaks up — 
for yeou see, stranger, some on 'em hed got off and hitched thar 
hosses ; an' says he, ' Madam, I mout as well tell yeou that our 
boys air Missourians, and almighty flat-footed down onto thar 
Free State men to the back of it ; and as fur what brings 
us hyar to-night, it's jest this : thar's a report goin' round, that 
yeour old man, thar Judge — an' hangin' wouldn't be unhealthy 
fur him — lies got a power of Sharpens rifles cashed hyar in thar 
house ; and as our boys air bound to have 'em, thar air a few 
questions we would be pleased to hev yeou a-replyin' to.' Wael, 
when I hearn that, stranger, I jest allowed that I couldn't hold 
in any longer ; fur though I'm dreadful easy to please, I ain't 
a-goin' to be rode over ; so as I wor all-createdly riled, I jest up 
an' let 'em hev it. You may question all yeou want, says I, an' 
answer too, for all thar good that yeou'll git from it, for I con- 
sider yeou a swarin', drinkiu', keard-playin' lot of thieves an' no 
account cusses. I wor a-goin' to hev told 'em a heap more, but 
they jest sidled by me inter the buildin', an' in a minit, they wor 
all over it. Wael, yeou see, thar wor a man a-stoppin' with us 
— a stranger that wor drivin' a settler's team — and so thar Mis- 
sourians, when they found it out, went straight up to his bed — 
fur bein' powerful tired he wor a-sleepin' up in the loft ; and 
when they got whar his bed wor, they didn't say a word, but 
one on 'em wakened him up, while t'other one cocks a pistol and 
sets it to his year. An' so they kept on askin' him questions 
about who he wor, an' whar he wor from ; and about what he 
hed in his wagon : an' every answer he'd make the feller that 
held the pistol kinder made a motion with it, till thar poor man 



318 SQUIRE PORTLY GETS THE HEAVES. 

wor that skeared that his eyes seemed nigh onto ' stickin' out' 
of his head ; an' then, as ef they hadn'f done enough already, 
the man with thar pistol lets it go off, as be allowed by accident, 
but I jest expect it wor done a-purpose, an' thar ball went 
through thar floor an' down inter thar room below, whar my 
married darter, Wetumpky — the peart gal I wor tellin' yeou on, 
stranger — wor a-standing underneath, and. — But yeou ain't 
a-goin, air yeou, stranger, fur I've only jest got started onto what I 
war a-tellin' yeou ; but ef yeou must go, stop in when yeou're 
a-trav'lin' this hyar rOad agin ; the Judge will be powerful glad 
to see yeou, and then I'll jest tell yeou all about it • fur it's 
curous, stranger, an' jest shows up them Border Ruffians to be 
what they air." 

Here old Portly slipped out, and we followed him, leaving the 
garrulous dame to continue her interminable narrative, or 
reserve it as she saw fit, until the arrival of some more Job-like 
victim. We remarked, by the way, that the Judge heaved a 
gentle sigh as he got into the open air, which may have pro- 
ceeded from that " powerful hard spell of the phthisic," or it is 
just possible, from a sense of mental relief ; but if you asked us 
which, we could only refer you to " his Honor," and say, i Quien 
sabe? 

As the weather was cold — the foot-path slippery — and our 
short-winded companion greatly troubled with " the heaves," our 
walk to Barber's claim was of the longest, and even upon reach- 
ing it we were again delayed by the absence of Barber himself, 
who did not make his appearance, until a white-headed little 
youngster had been sent to tell him that " a gentleman from 
York State was up at the house and wanted to see him." 

We found this Mr. Barber a quiet, plain, inoffensive seem- 
ing sort of man. Upon explaining to him the nature of our 
business in Kansas, as also our desire to obtain a reliable state- 
ment of the facts connected with his brother's death, he very 



THE SHOOTING OF THOMAS W. BARBER. 319 

kindly promised to give us an account of this tragical affair, in 
which he himself, in company with his brother-in-law, Mr. Peir- 
son, had been a prominent actor. 

So we produced our note-book, while the settler's wife hunted 
up the ink, which was at length discovered at the bottom of as 
heterogeneous a mass of lt plunder 7 '* as was ever gathered together, 
even beneath the rafters of a Far- Western log-cabin. And 
now we would call the attention of the reader to the following : 



STATEMENT OP ROBERT F. BARBER, IN RELATION TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES 
ATTENDING THE SHOOTING OF HIS BROTHER, THOMAS W. BARBER, BY A PARTY 
OF THE PRO-SLAVERY FORCES, IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, 1855. 

Note. — Robert F. Barber, late of Preble County, Ohio, and now a resi- 
dent of Kansas Territory, makes the following statement, which has been 
read over to him, and to which he is willing to make affidavit when legally 
required. 

On or about the 6th of December, 1855, at 1 o'clock, p. m., I left Law- 
rence (K. T.), in company with my brother, Thomas W. Barber, and my 
brother-in-law, Thomas M. Peirson ; we were all mounted ; I was provided 
with a Colt's Navy Revolver, and Peirson had a small (5 inch) Colt's Re- 
volver, but Thomas W. Barber was entirely unarmed. We were on our 
way to our homes, distant about seven miles from Lawrence, and had rid- 
den some three and a half miles, when we observed a party of from twelve 
to fifteen mounted men to the right of the California road, in which we 
were travelling. This party was apparently making directly for it. They 
were over half a mile from us when we first saw them. We then left the 
California trail, to take a cross road, to the left, which was the shorter one 
to our residences ; this was immediately after we discovered the horsemen. 
We had at this time no idea that they intended to interrupt us, nor did we 
quit the highway for the purpose of avoiding them. We had left the main 
road by some half a mile, when we saw two of these mounted men advanc- 
ing before the rest, as if to cut us off; this they did by approaching us on 
our right, and placing themselves in front of us, or nearly so. They came 
up at a trot, while we were walking our horses. The remainder of the ap- 
proaching party had in the meanwhile halted in full sight of us, but at a 
distance of from two to four hundred yards. 



320 ROBERT F. BARBER'S STATEMENT. 

One of the men who rode up to us was mounted upon a grey horse ; 
he was heavily built, with a broad face, and I believe whiskers. The other 
seemed a tall, well-made person, dressed, if I remember right, in dark 
clothing, and mounted upon a sorrel horse. 

I think that the man on the grey horse acted as their spokesman ; when 
they came up and halted, the man on the sorrel stood a little off the road, 
but close to it, and to the left of his companion who had checked his ani- 
mal in the road, not more than a couple of yards from our horses' heads, 
and directly in front of us. The man on the grey horse then ordered us 
to halt, and we did so immediately. Upon coming to a stand, the position 
of our party was as follows : — 

My brother Thomas W. Barber was beside me, and on my right, while 
my brother-in-law, Peirson, was a little to my left, and in our rear; we 
were all in the road. 

After halting us, the rider of the grey horse asked, " Where are you 
going ?" My brother Thomas W. Barber — who answered for our party — 
replied, " We are going home." He then asked us, " Where are you 
from ?" my brother answered, " We are from Lawrence." " What is going 
on in Lawrence ?" was the next question. " Nothing in particular," said 
my brother. " Nothing in particular, hey ?" replied the man. He then 
added, " We have orders from the Governor to see the laws executed in 
Kansas." Thomas W. Barber then asked, " What laws have we dis- 
obeyed ?" Upon hearing this, the rider of the grey horse raised his hand 
and pointed towards his party, at the same time exclaiming, " Then, turn 
your horse's heads and go with us." My brother then said, "We won't 
do it." " You won't, hey ?" said their spokesman, at the same time start- 
ing off with his horse so as to bring him on the right side of my brother 
— who moved his horse's head slightly towards him, as he did so. The man 
drew his pistol as he started, but halted on reaching his new position to the 
right of my brother — I can't say what the rider of the sorrel was doing 
in the meanwhile, for their spokesman rode between him and my brother, 
and my attention was at that moment taken up with drawing my own pistol, 
which was belted on behind my back, in such a manner that I was obliged 
to seize it with my left hand ; this I did under the belief that we were 
about to be attacked. As I was changing it into my right hand to fire, 
I saw their spokesman — the man on the grey horse — discharge his pistol 
at my hrother. I did not think at the time that my brother was hit. This 
man, after firing at my brother, rode right round into the road, and halted 
some ten paces in our rear. I wheeled my horse and shot at him, but 



321 

missed ; I cannot say that lie returned my fire, but on changing my position 
I saw the smoke of the pistol of the man on the sorrel, who was still in 
his old postion. I then fired a second barrel at him, but missed, as I had 
done before. 

After I had fired at the man on the sorrel horse, he rode up to his com- 
panion, and on reaching him they exchanged a word or two which I could 
not distinctly hear, and then galloped off towards their party. As they 
Started I fired at them again, for the third time, but with no better suc- 
cess. We still stood firm in our tracks, not having moved our horses 
except to wheel them, from the beginning to the end of the affray. 

The main body of horsemen was still halted, but full in sight. Thomas 
W. Barber then turned to us and said, "Boys, let us be off;" we started 
accordingly, at a gallop, on our road. At this time, the two men were 
still galloping towards their party. My brother and myself rode side by 
side ; my brother-in-law, Peirson, who had a slower horse, following in our 
rear. After riding in this manner for about a hundred yards my 
brother said to me, "That fellow shot me;" he smiled as he said so. I 
asked him, " Where are you shot ?" He pointed to his right side. I then 
remarked, "It is not possible, Thomas?" To this he replied, "It is," at 
the same time smiling again. I do not think that he realized how badly 
he was hurt. After uttering these— his last words— he dropped his rein, 
and reeled in his saddle; seeing that he was about to fall, I caught hold 
of him by the left shoulder, grasping the loose overcoat which he wore. 
I held him thus for nearly a hundred yards ; I could then hold him no 
longer, and he fell to the ground; as he did so, I slipped from my horse, 
at the same time calling out "Whoa;" both horses stopped immediately; 
I bent over my brother, and found that he was dead, and felt that we 
could do nothing for him. As Peirson and myself stood in the road con- 
sulting, we saw the other party riding towards us, and thinking that we 
could accomplish nothing by remaining where we were, I said to Peirson 
"We had better be off." He objected, saying, "If we ride away, they 
may overtake and kill us; we had better stay where we are, and let them 
take us prisoners." I replied, "I will die before they shall take me pris- 
oner." He then agreed to go, saying, "Let us be off as fast as we can." 
We galloped on accordingly. After riding nearly a mile, Peirson asked 
me if I saw any one coming? I looked back, and discovered two men gal- 
loping in pursuit. Peirson turned his head, and perceived them also. 
This was the last I saw of them. I am confident that some of the pursuing 
party must have discovered my brother's body, as they were riding upon 



322 THE FLIGHT. 

the hill where it lay. This transaction took place, from beginning to end, 
in an open prairie country, where there was no timber to shut out the 
view. 

Peirson had his revolver in his pantaloons pocket, on the right side. 
He says that he could not get it out in time to shoot. He certainly did 
not fire during the affair. He lost his pistol, however, and overcoat ; the 
pistol he has never seen since, as he tells me. 

After riding about three miles, and finding that my horse was " giving 
out," I dismounted, feeling confident that the animal had been wounded 
in the affray ; I did not stop to examine him at the time, but supposing 
that I was still pursued, left him standing in the road, and continued my 
way homewards on foot. I afterwards learned that the horse had been 
shot low down behind the fore-shoulder, on the right side. The horse 
died that night. I do not know the size of the ball which killed the ani- 
mal ; I did not look for it. The carcass has been dragged away and 
eaten by the wolves. 

I think that the man on the grey horse, who shot at my brother, used 
a small (5 inch) Colt's revolver. 



A SUDD EX AND TRANQUIL DEPARTURE. 323 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 

A VISIT TO THE WIDOW BARBER. 

One or two persons who made a superficial examination of 
Thomas W. Barber's body, say that the ball which killed him 
entered his right side, just above the hip. There was little 
or no external bleeding — there being but a very small spot of 
blood visible on his shirt, and that just opposite the wound. 
The hemorrhage was internal. We presume that this was the 
immediate cause of his death ; it may also account for the appa- 
rent absence of any pain, for we are told that the unfortunate 
man uttered not a groan — a smile was on his face to the last, 
and still lingered round the clay-cold lips when they had been 
sealed for ever. 

It is to be regretted that no thorough post-mortem examina- 
tion of the body was made, for the size of the ball, which yet 
remains in the corpse — or if shattered, its weight — will, doubtless, 
prove which of the attacking parties gave the death-wound, as 
Major Clarke, one of their opponents, was armed with a small 
Colt's five inch revolver, while Col. Burns, of Weston, Mo., his 
companion, is stated to have used a Colt's navy revolver, which 
carries a ball of about two-eights and three thirty-seconds of an 
inch in diameter — the barrel being seven and a half inches in 
length. Tho orifice of the wound is described by eye witnesses 
as being very small ; one person states not larger than a buck- 
shot-wound ; another informant says, " a small pistol ball." 



324 BY WHOM WAS HE KILLED ? 

The importance of this testimony is, however, lessened, if not 
made worthless from the fact that the mouth of the wound would 
naturally close somewhat, and perhaps entirely, after death. It 
must be remembered also, that no examination of the body took 
place until twenty-four hours after the affray. It will be per- 
ceived too that there is some discrepancy in the statements of Bar- 
ber and Peirson, as to the size of the pistol used by the man on 
the grey horse (which would appear to have been Major Clarke, 
who answers to the description of a heavily-built, broad-faced 
man). Barber thinks that the man who shot his brother had a 
small "five inch" pistol — such as Clarke is reported to have 
used — while Peirson seems equally confident that his brother-in- 
law was killed by a ball fired from a navy revolver. Peirson 
and the two Barbers were, at the time of this affray, regularly 
enrolled as privates of the Bloomington Company (D), of the 
1st Regiment Kansas Yolunteers, then serving in Lawrence, to 
defend that place against the so-called " Army of Invasion," 
under Governor Shannon ; they were absent on leave at the time. 

We presume that the whole matter — so far as the result of any 
judicial inquiry is concerned — will hinge upon the authority of 
Clarke and Burns to demand and compel the surrender of Barber 
and his companions, and the liability of the parties interfered 
with to such an arrest. 

Since writing the foregoing, we have been favored with the 
following extract from a letter written R. M. Ainsworth, M.D., 
of Wyandot, K. T., a regularly educated physician, who made a 
superficial post-mortem examination of Barber's body. The let- 
ter is addressed to G. P. Lowry, Esq., a prominent Free State 
man of Lawrence. Dr. Ainsworth being of the same persuasion : 

" Wyandot City, K. T. Dec. 23c?, 1855. 

******** 

"While I write I will mention that I lately heard a discussion as to the 
cause of the death of Barber. It was stated that he died from the effect 



DOCTOR SQUILLS 



ENJINES takin' kear. 325 



of the fall from his horse and not from the shot. I have had considerable 
experience of gun-shot wounds in the Pennsylvania Hospital, and else- 
where. I examinedthe body of Barber, and I pronounced his wound fatal, 
the missile having passed through a vital part. 

(Signed,) "R. M. Ainsworth." 



Having taken down Barber's testimony, we inquired for the 
residence of his brother-in-law, Peirson, which, as we had been 
told, was situated upon the prairie, at a distance of some half 
or three quarters of a mile from the " Barber Claim." On being 
informed that we contemplated going there, the settler, very good 
naturedly, remarked that he would walk with us. Upon hearing 
this, our short-wiuded friend Squire Portly, hoisted himself 
out of the hide-bottomed arm-chair, in which he had been puff- 
ing like a high-pressure engine from the moment of our arrival, 
and "allowed" that, as "it war gitting considerable late, he'd 
better be a movin' towards home, for it aggravated his phthisic 
powerfully to stop out after night ; an Doctor Squills had enjined 
on him to be dreadful kearful of catchin' cold, till thar warm 
weather come agin." So we made our farewell salutations to His 
Honor, and then prepared to accompany our new acquaintance 
(Barber), who — with a friend of his, one Jack Quarter, 
a Captain of Artillery, in the Free State Army — had, as we 
have already hinted, very kindly offered to direct us in the path 
which led to Peirson's " Claim " (the word " Claim," by the way, 
is generally used in Kansas in referring to a settler's residence, 
that being the title by which he holds his land). 

And now let us put before the reader the statement of Peir- 
son, which we took down in the same manner as that of Barber, 
by writing it out, sentence by sentence, from the narrator's dic- 
tation. Having done this, we will ask the reader to accom- 
pany us upon our visit to the cabin, where the Widow Barber 
has taken up her abode since the acting out of that terrible 



326 peirson's account of the fight. 

tragedy, which so suddenly rendered desolate this now afflicted 
woman's once happy home. 

STATEMENT OF THOMAS M. PEIRSON, LATE A RESIDENT OF HENRY COUNTY, 
INDIANA, AND NOW A CITIZEN OF KANSAS TERRITORY, AS TO THE FACTS CON- 
NECTED WITH THE SHOOTING OF HIS BROTHER IN LAW, THOMAS W. BARBER, 
BY A PARTY OF THE PRO-SLAVERY ARMY, ON THE 6TH OF DEC, 1855. 

On the 6th of Dec, 1855, at about 1 o'clock, p. m., I left Lawrence in 
company with my brothers-in-law, Thomas W. and Robert F. Barber. We 
were all mounted and on our way to our homes, some seven miles distant from 
Lawrence. I was armed with a small Colt's revolver, which I carried in 
my right pantaloons pocket. Robert F. Barber had a Colt's Navy revolver. 
Thomas W. Barber had no arms of any kind. 

We followed the California road for three miles or more, when we turned 
off the highway to take a cross-road which led to the left, towards our 
homes. Just before doing so, and while still in the California road, I saw 
a party of from 12 to 15 mounted men to the right of the trail, and some 
half a mile or mile distant, they appeared to be coming towards the Cali- 
fornia road. In a few minutes I saw two men detach themselves from the 
main body and ride forward at a quicker gait, as if to cut us off. We 
were riding fast at the time, but immediately slackened our speed to a 
walk, so as to give these people no excuse for interfering with us. We 
had no idea at that time, that they intended to molest us. We had ridden 
about a mile in the cross-road, when these, two men who had taken a 
shorter cut, got ahead of us, and came in from the right, at a trot. They rode 
side by side. One of them halted directly in front of us in the road, and 
within a few feet of our horses' heads. He was a stout, thick-set man. I 
don't think he was tall, believe he had a moustache, but can't say certainly. 
He was riding a grey horse. His companion took his position to the right, 
and a little in our rear, near the edge of the road. Don't remember 
anything of his appearance, except that he was riding a sorrel horse. 

The man on the grey horse did all the talking on their side, and Thomas 
W. Barber answered every question except one, on ours. The man on the 
grey horse ordered us to halt ; we did so. He asked, " Where are you 
going?" T. W. Barber answered, "Home." "Where were we from?" 
Barber replied, "From Lawrence." "What was going on there?" was 
their next question. I think two of us replied to this. They then asked some 



HE IS DEAD. 321 

questions in regard to the Kansas difficulties. Thomas W. Barber stated 
in reply, that he did not think that either we or the people of Lawrence 
had violated any laws. The thick-set man then ordered us to " turn back.'* 
Thomas W. Barber said, " We can't go back, we want to go home." Our 
position at this time was as follows : I think that I was a little in the rear 
of the Barbers, and to their left, my brothers in law were side by side, 
Thomas W. Barber being on the right. 

I did not see the main body of our opponents until after we had ridden 
half a mile on the cross road ; they were then advancing at a trot. 

Upon our refusing to go with them, the man on the grey immediately 
wheeled his horse towards us, rather facing Thomas W. Barber, drew his 
pistol, and, taking a deliberate aim, as I judged, from the way in which he 
held his weapon, fired at Thomas. I think the pistol was a navy revolver. 
I saw Thomas settle down in his saddle as the pistol was discharged. I 
thought he was hit. The man on the sorrel horse fired immediately, the 
reports of the two pistols were almost simultaneous. We had not fired at that 
time. As they drew their weapons, Robert F. Barber drew his pistol and 
fired three times without success. I was trying, but without success, to 
draw my pistol. I did not attempt to draw it until I saw our opponents 
drawing theirs, when I finally got it out, our opponents had wheeled and 
were galloping off towards their party. Thomas then said " Let us be off." 
We started accordingly at the top of our horses' speed, the Barbers rid- 
ing almost in front of me, and I following in their rear. We rode on thus for 
some two hundred yards or more, when Thomas W. Barber fell from his 
horse. I had noticed before he fell that his brother was supporting him 
in his saddle, in which he seemed unable to sit, as he had dropped his 
rein. Robert F. Barber stopped the horses and dismounted, as his brother 
fell; he went and looked at him. I did not dismount. Barber said "He is 
dead." We consulted as to what we should do. I said, Perhaps we can 
take him before us on the horse. I had barely uttered the words, when I 
saw the party advancing upon us again, that is to say, that portion of them 
who had got over the hill. We supposed it to be the same party which 
we had just seen ; they were some two hundred yards distant. We then 
mounted our horses, and, supposing that we should be murdered if over- 
taken, left Barber's body and started off on a gallop towards home. 

I supposed that I had replaced my pistol in my pantaloons pocket, 
but afterwards discovered that I had lost it. I have not seen it since. 
Robert F. Barber's horse was mortally wounded in the affray, and died 
that night. 



323 THE DESOLATED HOME. 

We have now put the reader, very minutely, iu possession of 
the circumstances attending this tragical affair, as they are 
stated by Barber and Peirson, whose account is, of course, 
adopted by the Free State party, and we have taken great 
pains in procuring this testimony — for the killing of Barber is 
in every one's mouth — has been garbled by the local press on 
both sides, and, we regret to add, made a source of political cap- 
ital against the Pro-Slavery faction. It cannot, however, be 
denied, that there is, in this matter, no mean, between the ex- 
tremes of murder and justifiable homicide. It was either an assassi- 
nation, or a legalized or military taking away of life, growing- 
out of the unfortunate man's refusal to obey the stern require- 
ments of martial law, in which latter case, the agents of that 
law must be held blameless. With this question, and its vast 
field of evidence, we shall have nothing to do ; we are not called 
upon to decide. It must finally be settled by a judicial inquiry, 
which, if we mistake not, w r ill be obliged to carry its investiga- 
tion far back of the mere actors in this lamentable affair. Who 
brought on this war ? who raised these opposing armies ? who 
furnished men and arms ? who authorized them to act, and from 
whence did they derive their authority ? These are all questions 
which will be asked, and must be met by the responsible parties. 
Public sentiment will demand it, and then, let those who are in- 
nocent clear their skirts. 

But come — let us change the scene ; forget, for a time, the 
mere party interest in this matter, and gaze with us upon that 
darker picture, which, alas ! for poor Humanity, so seldom 
struggles out into the light ; bear with us then, for a moment, 
while we tell you of our visit to the widow's desolated home. 

It stand?, upon the bleak prairie ; a shelter — for it merits no 
better titTe — of two rooms. We entered it in company with 
the brother of the deceased, just as the darkness of a stormy 
winter evening was gathering over the snow-clad slopes of the 



A SINCERE MOURNER. 329 

long, treeless prairie rolls. The room into which we were shown 
seemed comfortlessly furnished, not from any lack of means, but 
from the difficulty of procuring such matters in a newly-settled 
country ; two or three females and children were crowding up 
to the stove, for the night was bitter cold, and even a large 
wood fire scarce heated an apartment so slightly walled. Between 
a heavy pine table, on which a flaring tallow candle stood 
flickering and sweltering in its socket, and the half-curtained 
window, against which the sleet and biting winter wind beat 
drearily, sat a woman of some forty years of age, plainly clad 
in a dress of coarse dark stuff ; she was leaning forward as we 
entered, and seemed unmindful of all about her. It needed no 
introduction to tell us that this was the widow of Thomas W. 
Barber, the sole victim of the otherwise bloodless " Kansas 
War." No, the thin hand which supported the aching head, 
and half shielded the tear-dimmed eyes, as well as the silent 
drops that came trickling slowly down those wasted cheeks, had 
already told the story. What could we say in the way of con- 
solation ? What was the cause of " Kansas and liberty " to 
her ? Could the success of a party, or the advancement of 
a principle, dry those burning tears ? Could they soothe the 
sorrows of what she herself has called " a poor heart-broken 
creature ?" Oh, ye demagogues ! ye peace-breakers ! ye incen- 
diary orators, of both North and South, whose aim it is to 
urge on a strife, that you yourselves, are not slow to avoid ! 
could you but have stood beside us, in her once happy home, 
and have listened to the broken sentences, uttered with all 
that unstudied pathos, which an agonized and grief-torn spirit 
alone can give, we hope, for the sake of our common humanity, 
that the lesson would have sunk deep into your hearts. Hear 
what she says : — 

" They have left me a poor forsaken creature, to mourn all 
my days. Oh, my husband ! they have taken from me all that 



330 THE ONLY VICTIM OF THE WAR. 

I held dear — one that I loved better than I loved my own 
life." 

These are her very words. We have added nothing to them, 
nor have we taken aught from them. 

There are circumstances connected with the life and character 
of the man Barber, which make his death more particularly to 
be deplored. He adds another to the long list of victims 
who have been sacrificed to the demon of political excite- 
ment. Barber is spoken of as a quiet, inoffensive, and amia- 
ble man ; domestic and unexceptionable in his habits, and deeply 
attached to his wife, to whom he had been married between 
nine and ten years. He was, moreover, the leading man among 
the agriculturists in his neighborhood ; a lover of fine stock ; and 
a careful, pains- taking farmer ; such at least is the reputation which 
he bore in Ohio, the State from whence he emigrated. He was 
unarmed when he received his death-wound, and on his way 
to his home. His wife, to whom he had written to inform her 
of his coming, was expecting him. She is said to have loved 
her husband with more than ordinary devotion. Her sister-in- 
law tells us that they used to rally her, upon her almost girlish 
affection and solicitude for Thomas. It was her habit, when she 
saw him coming back from his work, to leave the house, and go 
forth to meet him on his way. If he failed to return at the 
time indicated, she grew anxious ; and if his stay was prolonged, 
oftentimes passed the night in tears ; when ill— the same in- 
formant tells us — she would hang over his bed, with all the anx- 
iety of a mother for her child. She would seem, too, to have 
had a presentiment of some impending evil, for after exhausting 
every argument to prevent her husband from going to join the 
Free State forces in Lawrence, she said, "Ob, Thomas, if you 
should be shot, I should be all alone indeed ; remember I have 
no child — nothing in the wide world to fill your place." And this 
was their last parting. The intelligence of his death was kept 



A HEART-RENDING SCENE. ool 

from her — in mercy — through the kindness of her friends, but 
only to be announced, without the slightest preparation, by a 
young man, who had been sent out from Lawrence, with a car- 
riage, to bring her in to the Free State Hotel, where her hus- 
band's body had been laid. Upon arriving at the house where 
Mrs. Barber was, he rode up, most unthinkingly, and shouted, 
" Thomas Barber is killed." His widow heard the dreadful 
tidings, rushed to the door, cried, " Oh, God ! what do I hear ?" 
and then filled the room with her shrieks. We have heard, too, 
a description of the heart-rending scene, which took place when 
they brought her into the apartment where her husband's body 
lay ; of her throwing herself upon his corpse, and kissing the 
dead man's face ; of the fearful imprecations, which, in her mad- 
ness, she called down upon the heads of those who had separa- 
ted her from all that she held dear ; and these things were re- 
lated to us by men, who turned shudderingly away, from the 
exhibition of a sorrow which no earthly power could . assuage. 
It is, moreover, stated that her companions were obliged to 
hold her forcibly down in the carriage, from whence her frantic 
exclamations rang out along the prairie, as they conveyed her 
from her home, to the chamber of the dead. 



3°2 A RATHER DANGEROUS EXCURSION. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

A SNOWY NIGHT IN A SETTLER'S CABIN. 

January t/A, Evening. — We are back again in our accustomed 
seat, at the " best hotel " in Lawrence, having arrived by our 
own private conveyance (Shank's mare), some two hours ago. We 
find matters and things at the " Cincinnati " in very much the 
same condition as they were when we left here yesterday morning 
to make our "hegira" to Judge Portly 's. The old lady has 
grown no stouter ; the long-tongued damsel no less talkative, 
while the red hot stove at our back, the wrangling of the politi- 
cal disputants at our side, and the stifling air of this over-heated 
sitting-room are, we regret to say, quite as annoying as they 
ever were. Add to these, that " Our Correspondent n has a first- 
class nervous headache, and, then, for sweet charity's sake, if not 
for ours, make all due allowances for the shortcomings of this day's 
log. So, having written our preamble, let us " go back to the 
beginning," and take up the thread of our interrupted narrative. 

We were, if we mistake not, at " Peirson's Claim," from 
whence we sallied forth, after completing our note-taking, with 
oar friends Barber and Captain Jack Quarter, as guides, to find 
our way across the prairie, back to the residence of the first 
named individual, at whose cabin we had been invited to spend 
the night. Nor was our walk thither either a pleasant, or for 
that matter, a very safe excursion ; for in the three hours which 
had elapsed since our arrival at Peirson's, there had been, what 



CAPTAIN JACK QUARTER 333 

the " clerk of the weather " might have called, a " perturbation n 
in the atmosphere ; in fact, a sombre winter evening had gone 
from bad to worse, by transforming itself into a boisterous 
January night, whose intense darkness, would have rendered it 
sufficiently difficult to find our way, through the accumulated 
drifts which had obliterated every vestige of a trail across the 
prairie, even without the additional disadvantage of a driving 
snow-storm, which beat blindingly in our faces, and made us 
fairly bow our heads as we turned to face its fury upon our 
homeward track. Fortunately for us, however, we had an 
excellent guide in Gaptain Jack Quarter, who being an old 
sailor, piloted us by the direction of the wind, which was blow- 
ing a gale from the north-west, in which direction, or nearly so, 
our true course lay. But notwithstanding the feeling of security 
which was engendered by the Captain's assurance, that " though 
it blew great guns, and had a dirty look to windward, he'd 
bring us safely into harbor for all that," it was with no little 
pleasure — not to mention a certain feeling of relief — that we 
caught the first glimpse of the ruddy light which gleamed forth 
into the darkness, like a messenger of welcome, from the low case- 
ment of Barber's solitary cabin. A few minutes later, found us 
thawing out over the cooking-stove, where a hot supper was in 
process of preparation, under the supervision of the settler's 
wife, a clever little body, who bustled about cheerfully, as she 
did what tidy hands could do, to render her frontier home com- 
fortable, at least so far as its rude accommodations would permit, 
to her husband's unexpected guests. 

** What would you have done," said we to the Captain, when 
we were once more safely housed, " if we had lost our way upon 
the prairie ?" 

M Done," replied the Captain, after a moment's thought ; 
11 why I should have got into a hollow, and if possible found the 
lee-side of a hill ; and then I would have picked me out a path 



334 BLOWING GREAT GUNS. 

fifteen or twenty yards long, where I could have had the wind 
at my side, and walked it back and forth, like a skipper on his 
quarter-deck, till morning. And now that I have answered 
your questions, do you know what I would have done if, having 
lost our way, you should have tried to go to sleep ?" 

"Why, as for that I could scarcely say. Wake me up, per- 
haps." 

11 Wake you up," cried the Captain. " Yes, I'de have abused 
you, picked a quarrel with you, pitched into you, and then kept 
you warm, and myself, too, by thrashing you until we had light 
eaough to find a shelter by." 

We thanked our friend for his kind intentions ; but expressed 
a hope that we might, on everybody's account, never be under 
the necessity of putting him to the trouble of so fatiguing an 
exercise. 

And now, good pen, whip up ; increase your pace, or wc 
shall be " most froze," and for aught we know to the contrary, 
* winter" upon paper at some settler's cabin on the prairie. So let 
us knock out the adjuncts and shorten our sentences. 

Ten o'clock, p. m. — Supper over — storm worse than ever — 
everybody very cold. Half an hour later — storm doing badly, 
and everybody much colder. Midnight — storm terrific — fire 
gone out — wood ditto, and no more to be had until morning. 
Somebody proposes " going to bed." Everybody embraces 
somebody's idea. Settler's wife disappears into "the other half 
of the house," for its single board partition makes a very im- 
partial division of this two room establishment. Settler's wife 
bustles about, is evidently "setting things to rights" — returns — 
presents us with a tallow dip in a log-cabin candlestick, and 
having done so, intimates that " our" room is ready — which 
by the way, includes the Captain, who is to be our bed-fel- 
low. We "take the hint," and make our buenas noches accord- 
ingly. We open the partition door, and pop into a chamber, 



BOOTS AND ALL. 335 

whose temperature suggests the idea of Parry and the Poles. 
We could, without any particular tax upon our imagination, 
fancy ourself an Esquimaux, who feels really quite at home. 
For there is — no exaggeration by the way, Mr. Reader — 
about an inch of snow upon the floor, not to mention "a 
right smart sprinkling" over the bed, where it has drifted in 
through the badly-built walls. In fact, the snow-storm, which 
is at this moment doing its work, inside our sleeping apartments, 
is quite a pocket edition, or, perhaps, one might better call it an 
uncorrected abridgment of that which is even now " making night 
horrible" without — as the wintry winds blow and roar, and scream 
and call gustily to each other, as they brush the white flakes 
from the hurrying wings which bear them howling across the 
unsheltered plain. In view of these circumstances we gaze round 
us as we enter, in silent consternation — it is too late to retreat 
— the settler and his wife have already " bunked in" on the floor, 
from whence their long-drawn snores already give notice that 
there are those who can go to sleep, the warfare of disagreeing 
elements to the contrary, notwithstanding, the instant their 
heads touch the pillow. But one cannot meditate with any 
mental satisfaction — or for that matter, bodily either, when the 
mercury says, eighteen below zero — and the fire is non est to 
boot. So we made up our mind, pulled off our boots, and 
then followed the example of our illustrious predecessor, the 
Captain, by plunging headforemost into bed, with everything 
on — as we hope to be lucky — except the articles aforesaid. 
Mem. — we are not quite so confident that our bed-fellow took 
off his, but as he didn't wear spurs, and as we are of an easy dis- 
position, and by no means disposed to make a fuss about trifles, 
at least while sojourning upon the frontiers of Kansas — we con- 
cluded not to allude to the fact, but keep carefully out of range, 
lest our friend, if ridden by the nightmare, should be inclined to 
fancy himself a horse, in which latter case, our chances of being 



336 A BLESSED APPARITION. 

kicked to death before morning, seemed even more than moderately 
good. And being thus uncomfortably in bed, we turned our atten- 
tion toward making an effort to sleep — in short, we endeavored 
to compose ourself, but it was not to be done; no, " not at any 
price." The snow-storm inside bothered us — turn as we please 
— twist as we would — it was still the same. If we laid upon 
our back, the freezing particles watched their opportunity, and 
whenever we closed our eyes, descended in a trice, to build little 
suspension bridges across the lashes, or settle themselves to thaw 
upon the tip of our weather-beaten nose. Nor was our position 
improved by a change to either side, for our ears would be im- 
mediately attacked — while, if we gave up and retreated — as we 
finally did — by fairly turning our back to the enemy — they took 
us in the rear, and dropped flakes into our hair, where they got 
up sliding parties, from the top of our organ of veneration — a 
mighty small one by the way— down to the nape of our neck, 
which gave them a clear run of at least eight inches — we have 
just been measured so as to be sure of the distance — and, at the 
same time, furnished us with the innocent, but withal somewhat 
nervous amusement, of keeping tally as they went. At length 
we could stand it no longer, and were about giving up our 
slumber in despair, when a blessed apparition caught our weary 
eye, which, though it came in a somewhat questionable shape — 
don't be frightened — was neither sheeted ghost, nor goblin grim, 
for though undoubtedly but " a thing of bone," 'twas nothing more 
than an old blue cotton umbrella — a sort of family umbrella, 
built to shelter three of the real old-fashioned practical com- 
mon sense kind. But, what had we to do with the umbrella — 
be it big or little ? Ah ! that's just it — for we assure you that 
we regarded that umbrella, to quote from our fat hostess of the 
Cincinnati, as " a clean dispersion of Providence." But how ? 
Well, listen and we will tell you To return — we gazed sleepily 
at the apparition — suddenly a thought struck us — we sprang 




A SNOWY NIGHT IN A SETTLER'S CABIN. 

" We sprang out of bed— we seized upon this commodious, albeit somewhat dilapi- 
dated shelter — we regained our place among the blankets — we opened our prize, and 
spread its blue cotton canopy, with the holes judiciously arranged, above our head, 
and then fell asleep." — Page 336. 



OUR BLUE UMBRELLA TENT. 33V 

out of bed — we seized upon this commodious, albeit somewhat 
dilapidated shelter — we regained our place among the blankets — 
we opened our prize, and spread its blue cotton canopy, with the 
holes most judiciously arranged, above our head, and then fell 
asleep, like a virtuous Correspondent as We were, to dream — 

" Of covered pits, unfathoraably deep, 
A dire descent ! beyond the power of frost ; 
Of faithless logs ; of precipices huge, 
Smoothed up with snow." 

into which we were constantly tumbling, with an umbrella a mile 
or two in diameter, by way of a saving parachute. 

January ^th. — Up very early per force, with a snow-bank 
upon our legs, and our beard frozen fast to the Mackinaw blanket, 
which had formed an upper coverlet to the pile of robes, over- 
coats, etc., that we had heaped upon the bed. Our patent 
tent, by the way, had given out during the night, owing to an 
accumulation of snow, and the general airiness of its texture. 
We dress — breakfast — write, and finally dine, at the very pri- 
mitive hour of noon, at Barber's. We linger a while to chat 
with our good-natured hostess, and then say good bye. We don 
our buffalo overshoes, and foot it through the drifts of last night's 
storm — which has now passed away, leaving the winter sky 
11 cold but clear" — to Judge Portly's — we approach the Squire's 
improvement — we contemplate entering — we see Dame Portly 
at the only window which hasn't got an old hat in it, and our 
courage fails us — the fire would be pleasant — a little something 
warm equally so — but then there's the " other half of that story.'* 
We ponder — second thoughts are best — our first intention has a 
round or two with the second — result, the first thought is 
knocked, as a Yankee might say, " into everlasting fits," alias 
a cocked hat. It is but eight miles to Lawrence — we step 
out — two hours elapse — the sun is going down — we are once 
more within " the lines" — militarily speaking — which have in this 

15 



338 GRACIAS A DIOS. 

instance " fallen in unpleasant places''' — of the Sebastopol of the 
West. We were quite out of breath, but, gracias & Dios, back 
again — and for the other matters which should be chronicled 
upon our log-book for to-day, are they not written in the follow- 
ing chapter ? 



GENERAL JAMES H. LANE. 339 



CHAPTER XXXY. 

FREE STATE FACTS. 

January the- *lth, in continuation. — We have obtained from 
General Lane the necessary data with which to gratify the 
curiosity of those, who may desire to know something of this Free 
State leader's antecedents. 

James H. Lane was born in Boone County, Kentucky, on the 
twenty-second of June, 1822. He is a son of Amos Lane, a 
Western lawyer of considerable celebrity, who figured in the 
politics of his day as Speaker of the first Legislature of Indiana, 
and member of Congress during the Presidency of General 
Jackson, where he proved himself one of the warmest supporters 
of " Old Hickory's" administration. 

Young Lane was educated at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where 
he afterwards studied law in the office of his father, and was 
admitted to the bar at an early age. In July, 1846, he raised a 
company of volunteers for the Mexican war at Lawrenceburg, 
Indiana, was elected captain, and marched with it to New 
Albany, in the same State. Here, he was elected colonel of the 
Third Indiana Yolunteers (not the Indiana regiment that was a 
little hurried at Buena Yista), and accompanied it to the seat of 
war. Upon his first visit to Mexico, Colonel Lane served under 
General Taylor for a year, and commanded (as he tells us) one- 
third of the troops engaged, at Buena Yista. In July of 1847, 
he returned to Indiana, but not to rest upon his laurels, for we 
find him actively engaged in recruiting the Fifth Indiana regi- 
ment, which he organized and brought out to Mexico. Of this 



340 the brigadier's antecedents. 

regiment he was colonel, under the command of Gen. Butler — 
was under fire with it in various skirmishes, aod joined Scott in 
the city of Mexico ; but after the capture of that place. Upon 
the declaration of peace, Lane's regiment was disbanded, and in 
July of 1848, we find the colonel laying aside his military rank, 
but only to be crowned with the civil honors which were awarded 
him in the following year by his adopted State. He w T as nomi- 
nated in 1849 as Lieut. Governor of Indiana, and elected by ten 
thousand majority. Before the expiration of his term of office 
he was selected as one of the electors for the State at large, and 
cast the vote of Indiana for President Pierce : was nominated 
and elected to Congress, by a majority of one thousand, in a dis- 
trict where his predecessor had gone in by a majority of but 
sixty votes ; was a member of the Thirty-second Congress ; voted 
for the Kansas and Nebraska bills, under instructions ; came to 
Kansas immediately after the adjournment of Congress, and set- 
tled near Lawrence, in which vicinity, the General informs us 
he has invested to the amount of seven thousand dollars, for the 
most part in real estate. He intends to remain in the Territory. 

In Kansas politics, General Lane claims to have been among 
the first to bring forward the necessity of a State organization, 
and to have draughted the national platform at the Big Spring 
Convention. General Lane is the chairman of the Executive 
Committee for the provisional government of Kansas, and was 
President of the Constitutional Convention. 

These facts may be relied upon, as we have obtained them 
from General Lane himself. The General says nothing of his 
military services in Kansas — but the intrenchments which encir- 
cle Lawrence, and which he himself planned, are still to be seen 
— a temporary monument at least to his talents as a military 
engineer, and in addition to these, a " well-drilled brigade," 
assures the beholder that the Brigadier-General has not yet 
forgotten the tactics learned in Mexico under Scott and 
Taylor. 



LUCKY LANE. 341 

General Lane is talked of as a candidate for office, when 
Kansas gets to be a State — a Senator, we believe. We pre- 
sume, that his very distinguished party services would, in such an 
event, secure him at least that amount of promotion, if not 
more. 

In person, we do not consider General Lane good-looking ; 
he is too much in the rough and ready style — nor is he prepos- 
sessing in his manners. But for all that, unless that lying jade, 
Dame Rumor, does him injustice, he is a great ladies' man, and 
wonderfully successful with the " soft sex," as Mr. Weller, 
senior, calls them. 

In his speeches and general political course, Lane is the very 
antipodes of Robinson, for where Robinson would throw on cold 
water, Lane would apply the fire-brand. He is fluent enough, 
but over strong in his expressions, and too incendiary in his 
suggestions to please a conservative man. 

But of these matters judge for yourselves, good people, for 
Lane goes East to lecture upon Kansas and " the War." past 
present, and to come. 

And now for a medley of Free State information, all jumbled 
together, as they have beeu noted down (first come, first served), 
in that repository of facts — our much-blotted note-book. 

So let us " write up " Kansas scrip to begin with. 

Kansas scrip, is a peculiar currency whose market value is 
about as difficult to quote as a Brazilian " millrea," which is, as 
every sailor who has put into Rio Harbor well knows, a fluc- 
tuating representative of an uncertain number of " dumps," and 
11 dams," the latter being copper coins, of huge dimensions and 
exceedingly unclean exteriors. This scrip was the child of many 
discussions, but was finally brought forth by the Territorial Ex- 
ecutive Committee; when that august body authorized its issue to 
the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars. This paper may in 
some respects be considered valuable, insomuch as it pays the 
expenses of those who suck government pap, if there be any 



342 



KANSAS SCRIP. 



such in Kansas, or in other words, makes the political Free 
State Kansas mare go. It is not, however, to be confounded with 
the " war scrip," which is, as we learn, issued by the Territorial 
Executive Committee on their own responsibility. The last- 
named scrip furnishes the sinews of war, digs entrenchments, 
buys rifles, and for aught we know to the contrary, fires them 
off to boot. The Free State that is to be, is supposed to foot 
the bill. The Free State Treasury has, however, another string 
to its bow, in the shape of an expectation to get these docu- 
ments cashed by Uncle Sam, through the influence of Governor 
Shannon. But we have good reason to suppose, that so far as 
such a recommendation would avail them, His Excellency the 
Governor would see the Free State party, scrip and all, in that 
extremity first, and then wouldn't endorse it. 

As a " true copy n of this precious paper may be interest- 
ing to our Wall street and other financial operators, we will 
append the following sample, of Simon Pure Kansas scrip. 

KANSAS SCRIP. 



Wood cut : woman holding 
scales, supposed to be blind 
to her own interests. 



Xo. 62. Topeka. Xov. 26, 1855. $20. 

This is to certify that Cyrus K. Holliday, or 
bearer, is entitled, on presentation, to receive from 
the Treasurer of the 

STATE OF KANSAS 

Twenty Dollars, with interest at ten per cent per 
annum, for account as per bill on file, for the pay- 
ment of which the faith of the State is pledged. 

Attest — J. K. Goodwin, Sec'y- 

J. H. Lane, Ch'n Ex. Com., Kansas. 

[ The Kansas Freeman Print, Topeka, Kansas.] 



o o 



* s 



a .a 

o ^ 

£ "3 

Q 



THE FREE STATE PROPAGANDISTS. 343 

We cannot say that we should care to invest very largely in 
either " wild cat banks" or Kansas scrip. 

Apropos to official Free State Kansas documents, the fol- 
lowing "circular" will come in very properly here. We have 
been requested to circulate it, and take this method, as the 
best calculated to comply with the desire of these propagandists. 
It certainly proves that the good citizens of Lawrence are fully 
alive to the necessity of " tickling the ears of the dear people." 

Office Executive Committee, 

Kansas Territory, y Jan. 4, 1856. 

Sir : A deputation, consisting of Messrs. Lane, Emery, Hunt, Goodin, 
Dickey, Holliday and Sampson, have been this day appointed to visit the 
United States, to plead before the people the cause of Kansas, and to con- 
vey and lay before Congress the constitution of the State, recently adopted 
by our fellow-citizens. We respectfully bespeak from the friends of free- 
dom such attention for them as the importance of their mission demands. 

They are instructed to visit and address, early in February, the 
people at Burlington, Iowa city, and Dubuque, Iowa ; Springfield and 
Chicago, Illinois ; Lafayette, Indianapolis and Richmond, Indiana ; Dayton, 
Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio ; Detroit, Michigan ; Milwaukie 
and Madison, Wisconsin ; Buffalo, Rochester, New York city and Albany, 
New York ; Worcester, Lowell, Springfield, Salem and Boston, Massachu- 
setts ; Hartford and New Haven, Connecticut ; Providence, Rhode Island ; 
Portland, Augusta and Bangor, Maine ; Concord, New Hampshire ; Bur- 
lington, Vermont; Philadelphia, Harrisburgh and Pittsburg, Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Done at the office of the Executive Committee, Kansas Territory, the 
day and year above written. 

J. K. Goodin, Secretary. J. H. LANE, Chairman. 

And here follow two documents which, though less pacific 
in their nature, are still historical facts, which even in the absence 
of any other testimony, would most conclusively prove that the 
Free State people of Kansas did have an army. We presume 
that the originals of these War Office forms will be treasured 
in the securest receptacle of many a Kansas Volunteer, who 



344 A KANSAS VOLUNTEER'S COMMISSION. 

will at some future day, in the pride of his heart, cause them to 
be framed and glazed, and hung upon his cabin wall, as an 
abiding remembrance, for his little ones at home, of that tre- 
mendous struggle — the famous Wakarusa war, which is — as yet 
— like the Q. E. D. of the Irishman's proposition, " which was 
to be demonstrated." 

The first is a copy of a Captain's Commission in the Free State 
Artillery : 

[Patriotic woodcut — An Eagle looking very fierce.] 

JAMES H. LANE, 

General Commanding the First Brigade of Kansas Volunteers. 

TO ALL WHO SHALL SEE THESE PRESENTS GREETING : 

Whereas, it has been certified to me by the proper authorities, that 
Thomas B. has been duly elected to the office of Captain of the Kansas 
Artillery, of Kansas Yolunteers, raised in the said Territory, by authority 
of the people of Kansas, to defend the city of Lawrence from threatened 
destruction by foreign invaders, 

Therefore, know ye, that in the name and by the authority of the said 
Territory, I do commission the said Thomas B., as aforesaid, in the 
said company, to serve from the date hereof until the said force retires 
from said Territory. 

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Lawrence City, 
the twenty-seventh day of November, a. d. 1855. 

J. H. Lane, 
General Commanding First Brigade Kansas Volunteers. 
M. G. Roberts, Aid, 1st Regiment Kansas Volunteers. 
[Herald of Freedom, Print.] 

And here follows the form of a private soldier's discharge, 
which will, in the good time coming, be valuable, if only for its 
autographs : 



Wood cut — ) Headquarters Kansas Volunteers, 

a cannon. ) Lawrence City, Dec. 12<A, 1855. 



i 

This is to certify that Richard Roe faithfully and gallantly served as 
private in the Lawrence Cadet Company (E) Kansas Volunteers, from the 



A KANSAS VOLUNTEER'S DISCHARGE. 345 

27th day of November, 1855, to the 12th day of December, 1855, in defend- 
ing the City of Lawrence, in Kansas Territory, from demolition by foreign 
invaders, when he was honorably discharged from said service. 

Solomon Wildes, Capt. 
Morris Hunt, Col. Commanding 2>d Regiment Kansas Volunteers. 
J. H. Lane, Gen. 1st Brigade Kansas Volunteers. 
C. Robinson, Major- General. 

For the present prospects of the Free State party, at least 
in the City of Lawrence, we cannot augur favorably. They 
appear to be disorganized, quarrelling among themselves, talk- 
ing about " loaves and fishes," as the heading of the annexed 
circular abundantly proves, and conducting themselves generally 
in such a suicidal way, as to excite a doubt in the mind of an 
impartial looker-on, as to the disinterestedness of some, and the 
zeal of others. 

" A house divided against itself shall not stand," saith 
the Scriptures, and so, we fancy, it may prove with the Free 
State party in Kansas. For they even now agree in disagree- 
ing, in evidence of which, we may remark that the regular 
11 Free State ticket," has already been followed by another, 
styled the " Free State Anti-Abolition ticket," the words " Anti- 
Abolition " being its strong point, for it is intended to insinuate 
the idea, that if their principles be opposed to Abolitionism, those 
of the regular ticket men must a fortiori, be in favor of its 
ultra views. And, as many of the Free State men have seemed 
anxious to define their position, and at the same time purge 
themselves from the charge of Abolition proclivities, which the 
Missourians and Pro-Slavery men of Kansas have been heaping 
upon their heads, it is not improbable that this latter ticket may 
be elected, even if Anti- Abolition Free State-ism should be com- 
pelled, for policy's sake, to make a marriage de convenance, with 
" moderate Pro-Slavery." Such a course, indeed, was actually 
hinted at in a conversation which we held, during our stay in 

15* 



346 OH ! DEARY ME. 

Lawrence, with one of the candidates and prime movers of the 
new ticket. Certain it is, that they are raising heaven and earth, 
after their own fashion, to secure success; which means, driving 
about the country, talking, making speeches, distributing hand- 
bills, and abusing their opponents generally. There is one omen, 
however, against the "Anti- Abolition " ticket; it is said to have 
been concocted on a Sunday, in regard to which, one of our 
landladies of the Cincinnati — the fat and antiquated one — 
speaks as follows : 

" Oh ! deary me, well I never, ef them sacradotal men hain't 
a gone and bin inductin' of a party on the Sabber day; a flyin', 
as yeou might say, right smack in the face of the Commandments. 
Well, you needn't laugh, Mister, there won't no good come on 
it, I kin tell yeou. If yeou jest knowed, but ef course yeou 
don't, for it was afore yeou was a baby, I guess, but when I 
was being courted, and Seth Smalltree was a cumin' arter me, I 
know he and Bill Haddock inducted a party to go a slayin' with 
us gals, on a Sabber day evenin', and the slay got upsot, and, 
to be sure, nobody was hurt, but parson Johnson said it was 
a clear dispersion of Providence, that nobody wan't killed, and 
put it inter his sermon; he had a powerful gift in sermonizing, 
had parson Johnson next Sunday. So yeou see, Mister, ef what 
I say won't come true, for them misgiven men won't git no 
office at all, and all on account of breaking the Lord's day, as 
a body might say, right inter pieces. Well, deary me, what's 
the world a comin' to next, I wonder." 

Here the old lady got her knitting under way again, and 
as we saw her rocking-chair resume its pendulum-like vibra- 
tions, we turned quietly round to continue our interrupted jour- 
nalizing. 

But here are the tickets — so pick and choose for yourselves, 
Kansas Free State gentlemen voters: 



THE RIVAL TICKETS. 



347 



Office. 

Governor 

Lieut. Governor. . 
Secretary of State 

Auditor 

Treasurer 

Attorney General 
Judges Sup. Court 



Rep. Sup. Court . 
Clerk Sup. Court . 
State Printer .... 
Rep. to Congress. 



Free State Abolition 

Ticket. 
..W.Y. Roberts. 
. .M. J. Parrott. 
..C. K. Holliday. 
. .W. R. Griffith. 
. .E. C. K. Garvey. 
. . H. Miles Moore. 
.Geo.W. Smith. 

S. W. Johnson. 

J. A. Wakefield. 
. . S. B. McKenzie. 
..S. B.Floyd. 
. .R. G. Elliott. 
. .M. W. Delahay. 



Fkee State Regular 

Ticket. 
Charles Robinson. 
W. Y. Roberts. 
P. C. Schuyler. 
J. A Cutler. 
J. A. Wakefield. 
H. Miles Moore. 
S. Latte. 
W. Conway. 
Morris Hunt. 

Thurston. 

S. B. Floyd. 
John Speer. 
M. W. Delahay. 



We have introduced the "circular" annexed as bearing upon 
these rival tickets and their backers. The James Redpath, 
who signs the letter, in relation to Judge Wakefield, is the 
present correspondent of the St. Louis Democrat, and for 
other papers. We have heard him bitterly condemned by the 
Pro-Slavery party, for alleged misrepresentations of Kansas 
difficulties, but as an offset to this, Mr. Redpath is spoken of in 
the highest terms by the leading men of his own party, who cer- 
tainly should know him best. E. C. K. Garvey, is probably the 
most active worker among the bolters, who are interested in the 
election of the Anti-Abolition ticket. The circular reads thus : 

"the loaves and fishes ticket. 



"The correspondence given below indicates that William Y. 
Roberts, Esq., does not sympathize very fully in the movement 
of certain disaffected politicians to get up a new ticket for the 
forthcoming election. 

" We learn that Judge Wakefield has been nominated as a can- 
didate for the supreme bench by the same faction, with Judge 



348 LOAVES AND FISHES. 

Johnston, and Gr. W. Smith, Esq. E. C. K. Garvey is the nom- 
inee for Treasurer, and Elliot, of the Free State, for State prin- 
ter; in short, we believe, nearly the whole horde of disappointed 
political aspirants have been looked after on this ticket, and yet, 
with two or three exceptions, every nominee expresses no sym- 
pathy for the movement. 

Lawrence, K. T., Deo. 26th, 1865. 
Dear Sir : 

The undersigned, delegates to the late Free State Nominating Con- 
vention, hearing that certain disaffected parties have, in private caucus, 
changed the nominations made by that Convention, so far as to substitute 
the name of Charles Robinson for your own for Lieutenant Governor, and 
your name for his as Governor — and are now engaged in circulating this 
action as the action of the legitimate Convention, desire to know if you 
are aware of these facts, and if so, whether you approve of, or will counte- 
nance such a course. 

Very respectfully yours, 

W. M. McClure, 1th Sen. Dis. 
E. R. Zimmerman, llth. " " 
G. P. Lwry, 1st. " " 

Hon. W. Y. Roberts. 

Lawrence, K. T., Dec. 26A&, 1855. 
Gentlemen : 

Your note of this date is to hand, and in reply I have to say, that I 
have heard the report to which you refer, and that I have no connection 
or sympathy therewith ; but, on the other hand, have opposed the move- 
ment from beginning to end, as disorganizing and opposed to the interests 
of the Free State party of Kansas, and shall continue to discountenance 
the movement should it be persisted in. 

Yery truly your obedient servant, 

W. Y. Roberts. 
Messrs. McClure, Lowry, and Zimmerman. 

" Since the above was in type we have received the following 
note from Mr. Redpath : 



SO ENDETH THE CIRCULAR. 849 

Lawrence, Dec. 2dth, 1S55. 
Sir: 

I am authorized by Mr. J. A. Wakefield to state that he will not 
accept an)' nomination on the opposition ticket. Mr. Parrot requested me 
to say in his name that he would not accept any State office under any cir- 
cumstances ; and Judge Johnson, also, gave the Leavenworth delegation 
similar and equally positive instructions. 

James Redpath. 
Editor of the Herald op Freedom. 

" We are glad to learn that Col. Lane, also, opposes the loaves 
and fishes ticket. He justly says that he would not consider 
himself worthy the confidence of the party if he failed to sup- 
port the regular nomination ; and adds, further, that the regular 
ticket is not, as the disappointed office-seekers allege, an ' Abo- 
lition affair.* n 



350 LAWRENCE AND ITS DEFENCES. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

THE SEBASTOPOL OP THE WEST. 

We have headed this chapter " the Sebastopol of the West," 
meaning thereby — if so obvious a title need an explanation — the 
town of Lawrence and its defences, or as the Yankees in these 
parts would term it in their vernacular, " Lawrence and its 
forts." And Lawrence is a great place — or what will come to the 
same thing in the end — is going to be ; indeed, it already boasts 
a main street — a real one, we mean — for streets and (for aught 
we know to the contrary), parks, public edifices and squares 
beside, are as "plentiful as blackberries" upon those paper 
maps which speculators in city lots so much delight in ; and 
Lawrence, to do her justice, is quite as grand upon paper, as any 
ideal metropolis that was ever laid out in a Far-Western 
swamp, during the land fever of what the song calls some 

" Twenty years ago." 

But as our business, as a faithful historian, is with that which 
is, rather than that which Old Father Time may see fit to make 
or mar in his ceaseless flight, we shall confine ourself to things 
as they exist, and leave those matters, which " might, could, 
would, or should be " — as Murray has it — to the coming years — 
and perchance to that coming man, who shall seek to build 



WHAT IS AND IS TO BE. 351 

upon our foundation, by writing up some future " Iliad " of the 
Wakarusa War. And now to our description. 

The real main street, of which we have spoken, has been 
christened by the good citizens of Lawrence after the foster- 
ing-mother of this abiding-place in the wilderness, insomuch as 
they have called it after the Old Bay State, by giving it the 
name of Massachusetts street. This thoroughfare has a circular 
earth-work at each extremity, and houses, good, bad, and indif- 
ferent — from the substantial three-story stone building, down to 
the settler's temporary, mud-daubed, one-room log-cabin — upon 
either side of it. It is, moreover — as newly-planned streets usu- 
ally are, and always ought to be — of very liberal dimensions, as 
regards the allowance which has been made for present road-way, 
and a prospective side-walk. Upon this street stands, the Cin- 
cinnati House — already alluded to — the Executive Office — of 
which we have also spoken — with sundry " stores," dwelling- 
houses, &c. (the " stores," by the way, would be creditable to 
the enterprise of any rising town) ; and last, but by no means 
least : 

The Eldridge House late Free State Hotel — which merits a 
separate paragraph ; for Lawrence will soon be entitled to boast 
that she has within her entrenchments the finest hotel in Kansas 
Territory, or for that matter, upon her side of St. Louis. This 
edifice has been in course of erection for some six months past, 
and will probably be opened for the reception of guests by the 
first of March (1856). It is a three-story stone building, seventy 
feet long by fifty wide, with an addition or wing of twenty-four 
by forty-five feet. When finished, it will contain in all, no less 
than seventy-five rooms. The proprietors, Messrs. S. W. and T. 
B. Eldridge, have also contracted for a barn, eighty by thirty 
feet, which will afford ample stabling. The interior finish and 
furnishing will be equal — at least so says the proprietor — to 
that of any hotel out of New York city. We hear of private 



352 THE ELDRIDGE HOUSE. 

parlor-sets, costing $350 — of chairs worth $40 a-piece, &c 
This establishment — as we have already hinted — has been 
re-named the Eldridge House, but it has almost (from its inti- 
mate connection with the times that tried men's souls, during 
the Kansas War), become "classic ground" — so we presume 
that its old appellation of the " Free State " or " Emigrant Aid 
Society's Hotel " will cling to it still — or, if it be preferred, it 
might be called the Hotel of the Port-Holes, from those much 
talked-of embrasures, which so few have seen, and so many talked 
about, that are said to exist in its parapets. 

Apropos to the Eldridge House. A letter was received here 
a few days ago — directed, as we were told, to General Robinson 
— its writer is a Mr. Williams (a moneyed man, of Boston, and a 
partner, we believe, in a wealthy firm in that hard-to-find-your- 
way-about city), who, in the kindness of his heart, " wants to do 
something for Lawrence/' and therefore inquires the exact size 
of the new Hotel's best parlor, which he evidently intends fur- 
nishing at his own expense— all free gratis — for nothing. Well, 
it is a much better way — to our fancy — of investing " given 
money " in Kansas, than by putting it into Sharpe's rifles and 
revolvers, even with a possible quid pro quo in the shape of Kan- 
sas scrip. 

And now, having favored the reader with an apropos to the 
Eldridge House, we will have an apropos to Eldridge, to please 
ourself. This gentleman — or the one which we had the pleasure 
of being acquainted with — has been engaged in " the hotel busi- 
ness" in Kansas City (Mo.) ; where, if report speaks true, there 
is quite as much liquor drank, and quite as much card-playing 
done, as at any other frontier town — " Natchez under the Hill," 
as it used to be — or Little Rock in Arkansas, not excepted. 
[Remember, we speak from Free State reports, now.] But to 
our story. Eldridge was keeping hotel, and somebody " kicked 
up a row" in Eldridge's house, which was knocking things gene- 



SHOOT, BUT TAKE GOOD AIM. 353 

rally into what Paddy calls " a holy show of smithereens," when 
Eldridge — seeing that the fun was likely to be expensive — inter- 
fered, and — as is not unusual in such cases — had the combatants 
unite and turn upon him for his pains — one of whom drew his 
pistol, and pointed it at Eldridge's breast, at the same time 
intimating that he intended to shoot our landlord — who, as it 
happened, was entirely unarmed. It is said by those who were 
eye-witnesses to the affair, that even under these "depressing 
circumstances," Eldridge didn't " back down f on the contrary, 
he " showed his courage," and at the same time proved, to the 
entire satisfaction of all concerned, that a man may be born 
East of the Allegany mountains, and still have quite as much 
" pluck " as even a Far-Western " fire-eater," by quietly pick- 
ing up a chair, which he brandished above his head with this 
very pithy observation : 

" Shoot, you cowardly rascal ; but if you do shoot, take good 
aim ; for if you don't kill ?ne, I shall kill you with this chair." 

And since we have touched upon this subject, we will, even at 
the risk of adding yet another, " aside " to our already too 
numerous digressions from the Kansas highway, spin a yarn or 
two which we have picked up, we can scarGe say how, during 
our sojourn in the Far West, and we shall do so the more con- 
fidently, as a lesson is to be gained from their perusal ; for they 
go to prove two facts : Firstly, That even a "Border Ruffian" 
don't like to shoot when you have " got the draw upon him ;" and 
Secondly, That there is a moral courage which acknowledges no 
position so bad, that a cool head and firm heart cannot find an 
honorable road to an extrication, or at least, point out a course 
which, if persisted in, will, in nine cases out of ten, cow the bully, 
and enable its possessor to come off conqueror. 

We shall begin, therefore, with an occurrence, the scene of 
which, we are pleased to say — for it gives us an immense, 
amount of latitude in its narration — is laid in the once almost 



354 AN ARKANSAW TARN. 

uncivilized Territory of Arkansas ; and when we say Arkansas, 
we mean the Arkansas of the long past, as it used to be in those 
"good old times" (to quote from thoroughbred frontier's men), 
" of pistol and bowie-knife sovereignty," when every man carried 
his own life, and not unfrequently the lives of a few of his neigh- 
bors, in his coat back or breast pocket, and the "regulators" 
had a funny way of hanging an unpopular individualist, and 
then trying him afterwards. 

It was therefore during the existence of this highly commend- 
able state of things that a certain young officer of the army, 
who had recently joined his regiment — and whom we shall, there- 
fore, for convenience sake, call Lieutenant Newcome — arrived, at 
the close of a very fatiguing day's travel in the spring — when, 
as the reader may know, an Arkansas bottom road is a happy 
compound of " corduroy " and "hog wallow" — at a log-cabin 
hotel, or to call it by its more appropriate appellation, "dog- 
gery," in a certain little town which shall be nameless. Now it 
so happened at the time of our young Lieutenant's visit — for the 
11 doggery" was "Hobson's choice," there being no other place 
within twelve or fifteen miles which could furnish horse feed and 
shelter — that this tavern of bad repute was favored by the pre- 
sence of some half a dozen Border men, who, to do them justice, 
could hardly have been improved upon in their very peculiar 
way. And as one at least of these worthies will play a promi- 
nent part in the characteristic incident which we are about to 
relate, we may as well sketch him in as a fair sample of the lot. 

Mr. Jake Chowler was an accomplished, but withal, somewhat 
eccentric rascal. He could cheat his companion at a " friendly 
game of poker," and shoot him afterwards — if he had the auda- 
city to object to the procedure — with as little remorse as he 
would have brought down a " painter " or " drawn a bead upon a 
bar." In person, he was a tall, lank, fever-and-ague-shaken 
specimen of humanity, with unkempt, towy hair, and a most pro- 



PINE KNOT JAKE. 355 

digious beard, which looked as if it might have been permitted 
to grow from the date of its first appearance; he had, moreover, 
keen eyes, deeply sunken, and as restless as an Indian's ; add 
sharply cut features, high cheek bones, a low, receding forehead, 
and a sensual mouth — and you will have the portrait of one 
of the worst men who ever made laws to suit himself upon the 
Arkansas frontier. 

As for his dress, if you be curious in externals, imagine a 
coon-skin cap worn nearly upon the back of the head, a loose, 
tobacco-stained old overcoat, much the worse for wear, in whose 
side pocket the butt of a horse-pistol was distinctly visible, 
a pair of mud soiled pants with riding leathers, and buffalo 
overshoes — and you have completed an inventory of garments 
which argued quite as unfavorably for their wearer as did the 
reckless, dissipated expression of the man himself. In fact, to 
sum up Mr. Jake Chowler, or as he preferred calling himself, Fine 
Knot Jake, in the fewest possible words, he was the terror 
of the country round ; for with him to "jump a man up," with 
reason or without reason, for it mattered little as to the amount 
of provocation with Jake, was " good sport," and to shoot him 
afterwards, the consummation of a rather amusing affair. 

With so peace-breaking a disposition, it is hardly to be 
wondered at that " Pine Knot Chowler " should have made a 
mental note of our young officer's quiet entry into the cabin 
where, at that particular moment, Mr. Chowler was enjoying 
himself, by indulging in the innocent relaxations of alternate 
whisky-drinking, gambling, and dancing, or as the individual in 
question would have termed it, " breakin' down ;" for there 
was a white-headed old darkey present, who was aiding the 
revel by the execution of 

"That good old tune " 

which he rattled off upon his violin, with a facility of execution 
which betokened a practised hand. 



356 A VERY PRESSING INVITATION. 

In the mean time our Lieutenant, who was still suffering 
from the effects of a recent illness, had taken an out of the 
way seat near the stove, where he evinced a strong disposition 
to avoid any intercourse with the Borderers. It may be, too, 
that the young man laid himself open to the charge of M put- 
ting on airs," by neglecting, upon his entrance, to salute the 
company, either by the customary " good evening, gentlemen," 
or the yet more Western polite greeting of asking " the crowd " 
to "step up and liquor" at "his expense." 

None of which, as we have already intimated, had escaped 
the keen eye of Mr. Jake Chowler. " He didn't like it. He 
allowed that thar dog-gauued city raised thing in thar brass 
buttons, war a puttiif on mighty high falutin' ways, an' crowdin' 
thar boys a heap." 

But Pine Knot Jake was not the man to confine his indig- 
nation to mere words ; so after " standin' it" as he said, '• until 
a human couldn't bar it no longer," he walked up to the stranger, 
and the following dialogue ensued : 

Chowler. — (At the same time slapping the Lieutenant fami- 
liarly upon the back) — Step up, boss, an' liquor. 

Lieutenant. — I thank you, sir, but I don't feel like drinking. 

Chowler. — Yes, yeou do : so jest step up, stranger, an' 
kinder move yourself too; don't yeou see that thar crowd air a 
waitin' ? 

Lieutenant. — But I don't wish to drink, sir. 

Chowler. — I don't kear ef yeou don't. I want you to drink 
with me. My name air Jake Chowler : Pine Knot Jake they 
call me whar I come from, all on account of my bein' so dreadful 
easy to whip. Will you drink with me now ? 

Lieutenant. — No, sir. 

Chowler. — Ef yeour a goin' to crowd a man that thar way, I 
jest tell you, stranger, that yeou shall drink with me. 

Lieutenant. — And I tell you, sir, that I will not. 

Chowler. — Wael, stranger , ef you will hev it so — here Mr. 



THE BULLY SEEMS TO TRIUMPH. 35 1 

Chowler drew a horse-pistol, which he cocked and pointed at 
the Lieutenant's head — I'll jest let yeou know, that ef yeou don't 
take a drink with this hyar child, and be right sudden a doin' 
it, I'll raise the top off your head with this hyar tool, and ef 
that don't settle yeou, I allow to gather yeou by your har, an' 
shake yeou till your dog-gauned toe-nails drop off. 

Upon receiving this mild intimation, a close observer might 
have noticed the sudden change that passed like a cloud shadow 
over the young soldier's face ; for his eye flashed, the lip was 
compressed, and the thin nostril dilated ; but these signs of in- 
dignation, if such they were, lasted but for a moment, and as 
the pale features settled back into their wonted repose, there 
was almost a smile, though some would have called it a vicaning 
one, upon Lieutenant Newcome's face, who, nevertheless, appeared 
subdued, for he rose to his feet, as if to comply with this very 
pressing invitation. 

u Mr. Chowler," said our Lieutenant, as they approached the 
filthy pen of liquor-stained boards, which enclosed the, if possi- 
ble, still dirtier "bar," " Mr. Chowler, I know your character ; 
I am entirely unarmed ; I have told you that I did not wish to 
drink, and should not do so now, except upon compulsion ; at 
the same time, I prefer drinking even with you, to being shot 
down in cold blood." 

To this, the bully made no verbal reply, but laughed insult- 
ingly ; ordered " drinks for two," laid his pistol upon the 
counter, and, at the same time, turned his head slightly round, 
to exchange telegraphic congratulations with a companion, 
upon the ease with which he, the accomplished Pine Knot 
Chowler, had " backed down one of Uncle Sam's highfalutin 
pets." 

But Mr. Chowler's moment of triumph was destined to be 
short-lived — indeed, its end was already at hand— for young 
Newcome, who had an eye like a hawk, had been watching his 



358 THE TABLES TURNED. 

unceremonious acquaintance's movements keenly. He saw the pis- 
tol laid down ; a thought flashed across his mind ; to execute it was 
the work of an instant. He edged quietly towards the bar, and 
extended his right arm, as if to take up the tumbler, in which the 
whisky, brown sugar, etc., had already been mingled for his benefit, 
but instead of doing so, he leant forward, shoved his persecutor 
aside with one vigorous push of his left hand, and, at the same time, 
grasped the weapon, which, fortunately for him, was still cocked, 
and then, with one spring, placed his back agaiust the wall, and, 
as they say out West, drew a bead upon Mr. Jake Chowler's 
left breast, who, in utter amazement at this most unexpected 
change in the position of affairs, was, at the moment, regarding 
him with distended eyes, and open mouth, not to dwell upon 
certain indications of bodily trepidation, which had suddenly ap- 
peared upon the crest-fallen bully's now anxious face. 

11 Mr. Chowler," said our Lieutenant, whose voice was even 
calmer than it was when he declined the first invitation to step up 
and drink, " Mr. Chowler, you had, or thought you had, matters 
all your own way, but a moment ago ; then, you were armed, and 
I was not ; now, however, the tables are turned, so, as I have 
the superiority at present, you will very much oblige me, as 
there is a fiddler present, by stepping out upon the floor, 
and favoring this good company with a specimen of your danc- 
ing." 

Mr. Chowler. — But I don't feel like dancin', stranger. 

Lieutenant. — Exactly what I said to you, Mr. Chowler, a 
short time ago, when you requested me to drink ; but though 
you do look as if you didn't feel like dancing, I must really in- 
sist upon your favoring us, the more so, as your friends seem to 
be anxious for you to begin. 

Mr. Chowler. — But I don't want to dance, stranger. 

Lieutenant. — My own words again, sir ; but you must permit 
me to answer your objection in the same manner that you replied 



MR. CHOWLER FAVORS THE COMPANY. 35$ 

to mine ; I don't care whether you do or not ; I wish you to 
dance for me; my name is Harry Newcome, and when at my 
post, they call me, although not considered easy to whip, a per- 
son who won't be imposed upon. Now, sir, will you dance for 
me, or shall I be under the painful necessity of carrying out this 
parallel to our recent conversation, by promising to shoot you 
in case of a refusal ? 

Mr. Pine Knot Chowler looked into the Lieutenant's eye, 
which was fixed intently upon his own, and, for a moment, there 
was something in the almost fiend-like expression of the baffled 
ruffian's face, which bespoke a tiger foiled, but nerving himself 
for some desperate leap ; a second glance, however, at the 
steady hand, whose fore-finger rested upon the trigger of a wea- 
pon, which, as nobody knew better than Mr. Jake Chowler, had 
never yet missed fire, had its restraining effect ; so, with some- 
thing that sounded marvellously like a smothered growl, Mr. 
Chowler stepped out upon the floor, and made a sign to the ter- 
rified darkey, who had, since the bully's discomfiture, sat staring 
with protruding eyes at the brass-buttoned stranger, to " strike 
up somethin' about right," and then began shuffling away, like a 
bear upon a hot iron plate ; but though his movements were 
awkward enough at first, there was something either in the tune 
or in the necessity of making the best of a bad matter, which 
seemed to operate soothingly upon the Borderer, for as the 
negro bent to his instrument, and rolled out the according notes, 
Mr. Chowler's grim features relaxed, expanded, and finally 
widened out into a really hearty laugh, as he finished up a hoe- 
down, with a sort of first-class, back-action double-shuffle, and 
cut-the-pigeon-wing step in the most approved Arkansas style. 

"Stop, Mr. Chowler," cried the Lieutenant. 

Mr. Chowler stood firm in his tracks as if glued to the floor, 
the music ceased, and a dead silence reigned in the cabin. 

" Mr. Chowler," said the young officer, " I came here to-night 



360 THE BORDERER BACKS DOWN. 

a stranger to you all; I neither interfered with you, nor did I do 
anything to provoke the treatment which I have received. You 
insisted upon my drinking with you. I declined, not from any 
desire to give offence, or because I believed that I should incur 
any degradation by so doing, but simply for the reason given in 
my reply to your invitation, that I did not feel like it. A little 
good luck, Mr. Chowler, coupled with some management 
upon my part, has enabled me to prevent, as well as punish your 
attempt to force me into doing what I had already positively 
declined. And now, sir, I can only say, as I have told you 
before, that I have not even a pen-knife, with which to defend 
myself — for I am about to return your pistol — and if either you 
or your friends should see fit to murder an unarmed man, I can 
do nothing to deter you." 

" But, Mr. Chowler," added the Lieutenant, as he laid down 
the weapon and turned to resume his seat, " I shall not drink 
with you or any other man upon compulsion." 

It is reported that Mr. Pine Knot Chowler gathered himself 
up, stared first at the pistol, and then at the " stranger," who 
had now returned to his low chair by the stove, where he sat, to 
all appearances, as if utterly unconscious of the existence of 
such a being as his late antagonist, in the world. Mr. Chowler 
grasped the pistol, let down the hammer, then took it up and 
played with the trigger, as if undecided as to how he ought to 
act. In fact. Mr. Chowler was meditating upon his late defeat; 
he, the " Pine Knot" had been " backed down," he " felt bad," 
lie " would hev given thar best hoss he ever rode," as he afterwards 
expressed it, " to get even." But the lesson he had learned was 
too recent and too strong for him. He accordingly forced a 
smile — swallowed his share of the old Monongahela at a gulp — 
paid for both drinks, of which one still remained untasted upon 
the board, pocketed his pistol, " allowed that thar stranger fur 
an Eastern-raised man, wor a hoss," and finally remarked, that 



THE GAMBLING MAN. 361 

"as it war a gettin' powerful late, he reckoned it about time for 
him to be a travellin'." 

The second incident which we promised the reader, took place 
upon that equally favorable locality for the acting out of such 
affairs as these — a down-river Mississippi steamboat. The cir- 
cumstances are briefly as follows : 

The table was laid for dinner in the spacious upper-cabin of 
what in those days — for the occurrence which we are about to 
relate took place many years ago — was considered a first-class 
river-boat. The passengers were seated at their meal, when a 
swaggering, devil-may-care fellow — who had spent his time since 
coming on board at " Natehez-under-the-hill," between corn- 
whisky and cards — came sauntering in from the " social hall," 
and took his place at the board, at the same time drawing forth 
a brace of hair-triggered duelling pistols, which he cocked, and 
laid upon either side of his plate, in such a manner that the 
muzzles of the loaded weapons were pointed directly at the 
breast of a grey-headed merchant from New Orleans, a very 
quiet, unobtrusive sort of person, who sat opposite the gambler. 

" Sir/' said the old man, " will you do me the favor to remove 
those pistols, for it is impossible to eat my dinner comfortably 
when my life is endangered by the very careless manner in which 
you have thrown down your weapons." 

To this mild remonstrance, the person addressed vouchsafed 
no farther reply than an oath, coupled with the intimation, that 
" if the old fellow didn't like it, he might leave the cabin ; but 
as for himself he would not move his fire-arms, to please the best 
man that ever walked." 

Upon receiving this discourteous reply the old merchant uttered 
not a word, but resumed his chair, from which he had partly 
risen, with the air of a man who had made up his mind to endure 
an annoyance which he cannot prevent. In a few moments, how- 
ever, he raised his head, made a signal to the negro-man, a pri- 

16 



362 THE SCREAMER NO. 3. 

vate servant of his own who was attending upon him, and gave 
some whispered order; the negro disappeared, entered the mer- 
chant's state-room by its outer door, but immediately returned to 
his place, beside his master's chair, where he stooped down, pro- 
duced something from behind his back, and placed the articles, 
whatever they were, in the merchant's hands, as the old man put 
them quietly back to grasp what he had sent for. A moment 
more and all present were electrified by seeing the old gentle- 
man straighten himself up, with a cocked pistol in either hand, 
which he levelled full at the gambler's head, at the same instant 
calling out, 

" If you stir, or dare to move a finger, sir, you are a dead 
man." 

He then motioned to the negro who stood grinning at his side. 

"Tom," said he, "go round and take up that person's pistols, 
remove the caps, and lay them in the berth in his state-room; he 
won't need them, at leant, until after dinner." 

" As for you, sir," added he, turning to the discomfited swag- 
gerer, as Tom literally carried out his master's instructions, " I 
fancy you will not be disposed to bully even an old man in 
future." 

When the Screamer No. 3 stopped to " wood up," some two 
hours afterwards, the "gambling man" was, "by particular re- 
quest," one of those who landed, and remained upon shore. 

And now, after this long, but, as we trust, not altogether 
uninteresting digression, let us return to the consideration of 
"Lar-ence" and its "forts," which will — as this chapter has 
already outrun its intended limits, be treated of in a military 
point of view in the next. 



CAN LAWRENCE BE TAKEN ? 363 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 

LAWRENCE IN A MILITARY POINT OF VTEW. 

We have already hazarded the opinion that the town of Law- 
rence could be taken, her earth-work trenches, Sharpe's rifles, 
Kansas brigades, and "circular forts" to the contrary notwith- 
standing, in something less than two hours by the watch, and we 
will now endeavor to give our reasons for this belief. 

Imprimis — We should fancy that the idea of " a war," or even 
of being called upon to put their town in a position for defence, 
could never have occurred to those who selected the site of this 
"city," that is to be; for, in a military point of view, we could 
hardly fancy a location which would be naturally more open to 
an attack, or less susceptible of being successfully defended, at 
least, by any hastily erected temporary work, than this political 
11 bone of contention, the Athens of Free State Kansas." But 
let us give the reader a rough idea of its situation and surround- 
ings, and then, if he do not concur with us in our opinion, we 
shall feel inclined to pronounce him a most unmilitary man, and 
"agree in disagreeing." 

Lawrence stands upon a plain, or to speak more correctly, upon 
that portion of the open prairie which slopes gently toward 
the belt of timber that marks the course of the Caw River — 
a stream, which flows, if we remember rightly, within a 
couple of hundred yards, or less, of the town itself. There 
is also a ravine, deep enough to cover the approach of 



364 THE BLUFF NEAR LAWRENCE. 

troops for a night attack, that leads almost, or quite, into the 
town. But the unfavorable peculiarities of country just alluded 
to, are by no means the most important of the natural disadvan- 
tages which might militate against the Free State soldiers in case 
of an attack; for a huge " bluff" lifts its treeless brow above the 
otherwise almost level landscape, and stands sufficiently near to 
command the town. In fact, a portion of its crest is within five 
hundred yards — a very neat distance for artillery practice — of 
the " circular forts," and earth-works that it overlooks. This 
" bluff" is, moreover, extensive, and easier of access from the far 
side than on that nearest the town, which is somewhat precipit- 
ous. Now what, let us ask, is there to prevent an enemy, if 
provided with artillery, from gaining this elevation with his 
pieces during the night, and crowning the heights with a battery, 
which could be prepared to open its fire, ere daylight should 
betray its presence to the besieged. True it is that the Free 
State Volunteers boast that they have, on several occasional 
proved the efficiency of their Sharpe's rifles, by discharging them 
with effect from the "circular fort" nearest the "bluff," at a 
board placed upon that point of the elevation which an enemy 
would be most likely to occupy. But who does not know that 
target firing is one thing, and real practice, with a return of 
your favors — and it may be with interest — quite a different 
affair. 

There is yet another manner in which Lawrence might, with 
nothing more than volunteer sentinels upon the look-out, be suc- 
cessfully surprised,and that is, by marching men down, under cover 
of night, upon the opposite side of the Caw River, and then crossing 
them to the timber which shades the Lawrence margin of the 
stream, by boats or rafts previously prepared. These rafts 
might be launched above, and dropped down almost noise- 
lessly with the current, from whence, upon effecting a landing, a 
very short run would briug the assailants within striking distance 



MILITARY ENGINEERING. 365 

of the defenders of the place, and thus enable them, by a hand 
to hand fight, to gain possession of the town. 

It was, as we are- informed, the intention of the " Border 
Ruffians" to have taken Lawrence, had the late difficulties actually 
ended in a fight, by a cavalry charge; in such a case, the storming 
party expected to receive but one or two volleys from the Free 
State Sharpe's rifles, before they would have been enabled to 
rush in, close man to man, draw their pistols and bowie knives, 
and thus gain the day. It appears that these worthies trusted 
not a little to their — as a general thing — superior personal 
strength, activity, and expertness in using their weapons. On 
the other hand, the Free State Volunteers are equally confi- 
dent that they could have kept up so withering a fire from the 
repeating arms with which they were provided, that no Mis- 
sourian could have lived to get within pistol-shot of their 
entrencbments. But in regard to these matters, who shall 
decide, where conflicting factions disagree, as to what might 
have been the modus operandi and ultimatum of a fight which we 
rejoice to say, did not take place, and we sincerely trust, never 
will. 

As regards the details of the defences at Lawrence, we should 
certainly have been "better posted" than we are. As it is, we 
can but plead the intense cold, which reigned supreme during 
our visit to this Sebastopol of the Far West, and interfered so 
sadly with our study of exposed fortifications, as to prevent an 
intended examination into the results of General Lane's Free 
State military engineering. There is, however, an addenda in 
our favor, to this apology, in the shape of a desperate endeavor 
made one January afternoon, when we sallied forth, note-book in 
hand, to take measurements and dimensions. This ended in our 
gaining the edge of a slippery ditch, into which, as we were 
busily engaged in pacing off the front, we tumbled most inglori- 
ously, thereby proving, to our own satisfaction at least, that the 



366 SHERIFF JONES A GOOD SAMARITAN. 

Free State entrenchments were certainly dangerous to absent- 
minded Yankees, whatever they might be to the " Border 
Ruffians." 

And now as our latest Lawrence intelligence dates back to 
January the 9th, we will crib the following from a Free State 
correspondent's letter, dated at that place on the 25th of the same 
month ; it might very properly be headed, " sixteen days later 
from the seat of war." The writer, by the way, seems to be 
quite as fully impressed with the "cold weather" as we were 
— but read what he says. 

Lawrence, K. T., Friday, January 2Uh, 1856. 

Jfc $fc Sfc $£ $£ %: ^ 

One man, who started on foot to come here last Monday, was badly 
frozen, and barely escaped with his life, by swinging his hat for aid, after 
becoming unable to walk — and the Samaritan who first came to his assist- 
ance was the Pro-Slavery Sheriff Jones, who was riding about one mile 
distant at the time. He found him shockingly frozen, and put him upon 
his own horse, in which manner he carried him about three miles to the 
house of an Indian, where he was well cared for — but it is doubtful whe- 
ther he will ever be able to walk again, for I have heard to-day that his 
feet are so badly swollen as to crack open. Indeed, I may say that I 
never saw so many people suffering with chilled feet and hands before in 
my life, as there are now in Lawrence. Full one half of those who walk 
our streets limp as they go, and are obliged to wear buffalo over-shoes, or 
something very loose upon their feet. I know of some women who are 
obliged to use crutches for a similar reason. This is called the coldest 
winter known here for twenty years. 

******* 

Cold weather is the only fortuitous event for the Free State party I 
have to mention. I believe it is that alone which keeps our opponents 
from pouncing upon us. It would be impossible to conduct a campaign 
successfully while the cold is so severe. We know they have an under- 
ground organization which probably extends through all the Southern 
States, and that all who are connected with it are pledged to fight in any 
case, right or wrong, and never to return till the Free State party is ex- 
tinct. They drill every day at Westport and other prominent towns along 



LATER FROM THE SEAT OF WAR. 367 

t 
the border, but are totally silent upon the object of their movements when 
questioned by strangers. We learn, to-night, that everything is extremely 
quiet at Kansas and other places, just now. It is a common subject of 
remark among our Free State friends there ; they are puzzled to account 
for it. Persons who appear to be in authority, are seen riding from town 
to town, holding conference with prominent Pro-Slavery men, but not one 
word of their designs can be drawn from them. Letters from our friends, 
yesterday, from Leavenworth and Kansas, state that there is something 
threatening in the undercurrent, and their advice to us is to prepare for 
the worst. We are fast doing so. A week ago, one hundred well-armed 
men could have stormed our town, but our condition was not known in 
" Pukedom." We had no powder, shot, or lead, and but few provisions ; 
but yesterday half a ton of lead arrived, and nearly as much powder. 
Two other teams are on the way with the same "material aid." Provi- 
sions are also coming in, so that we shall soon be in good condition for 
defence. Last night about sixty men were detailed from the different com- 
panies, and a party set at work upon each of our five fortifications. Cabins 
were hastily thrown up within the entrenchments, stoves prepared, and 
they are now boarding themselves in soldier-like order. The fort at the 
foot of Massachusetts street is circular, about one hundred feet in diameter, 
made of earth and timbers thrown up about seven feet high, with a walk 
of some four feet in width upon the top. Upon this circle we have a soldier 
in full uniform, walking night and day, giving our town something of a 
military appearance. Generals Robinson and Lane are constantly in the 
Council Chamber with other subordinate officers. 

We are not so well prepared for a campaign now as we were in Decem- 
ber. Then, our harvest was just over, the weather mild, and men could 
leave their families for a few days without uneasiness on their account. 
Now, provisions, money and wood are scarce, and many who came before 
to our aid could not be urged to do so again without paying them in ad- 
vance, so that their families might not suffer in their absence. We have 
started men to-day to different parts of the Territory, to give notice of our 
danger, and warn our friends to be ready at an hour's notice. 

Many are of the opinion that we shall not be attacked till the new Legis- 
lature meets, or until we attempt to move the wheels of our State organi- 
zation on the 4th of March. This may be true, and it may also be true, 
if large forces from the East, North and West do not reach us before that 
time, that the Legislature will immediately adjourn after organizing, until 



368 WHAT MAY BE. 

the 1st of May, when we shall be sure of a great accession to our military 
as well as our industrial strength. 

***** * * 

As regards the opinion expressed in the foregoing communica- 
tion, in relation to the Kansas difficulties reaching their crisis 
upon the 4th of March, we are disposed to believe that its 
writer is most probably correct, for though but little inclined to 
play the part of prophet upon any political stage, or even to 
claim, in such matters, the old Scottish gift of " second sight," 
we are willing to predict, that the Ides of March are pregnant, 
either with good or evil for " the Territory " and its future. 
That the Free State people will carry their new State Govern- 
ment into effect, by assembling their Legislature, and swearing 
in their officers elect, we cannot for a moment doubt ; while we 
have, at the same time, good reason to feel confident, that Gov- 
ernor Shannon, as the Territorial Executive, will, in such an 
event, cause the parties concerned to be arrested, not for treason, 
as has been currently reported, but under a law passed by the 
so-called Kansas " Bogus Legislature," which provides, that any 
person who shall take upon himself any trust or office, without 
being duly elected, and appointed to such trust or office, shall be 
judged guilty of a misdemeanor, and punished by a certain 
amount of fine or imprisonment, which is specified in " the Act." 

And since we have entered upon the consideration of events, 
which may take place in Kansas, it will be well, at this stage of 
our erratic " History," to lay before the reader such official 
documents, as have recently been issued from the highest 
authority at Washington, for the guidance of the Territorial 
Executive and all parties concerned, in the event of any further 
disturbances, which might lead to a violation of law and order 
in the region indicated. 

It will be perceived from the following letters, that this inter- 
ference of the President in Kansas affairs has been in some 



THE FREE STATE LEADERS TO THE PRESIDENT. 369 

measure called forth by the solicitations of General Robinson — 
the so-called Free State Governor elect, and others of that 
party. 

Lawrence, K. T. Jan. 21, 1856. 

THE FREE STATE LEADERS TO FRANKLIN PIERCE, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 

STATES. 

Sir: 

We have authentic information that an overwhelming force of 
the citizens of Missouri are organizing upon our border, amply supplied 
with artillery, for the avowed purpose of invading this Territory, demoral- 
izing our towns and butchering our unoffending Free State citizens. We 
respectfully demand, on behalf of the citizens of Kansas, that the com- 
mandant of the United States troops in this vicinity, be immediately 
instructed to interfere to prevent such an inhuman outrage. 
Respectfully, 

J. H. Lane, Chairman Ex. Committee K. T. 
C. Robinson, Chairman Ex. Committee of Safety. 
J. R. Goodin, Secretary Ex. Committee K. T. 
George W. Deitzer, Secretary Committee of Safety. 

Lawrence, City, Jan. 23, 18G6. 
the free state leaders to the president of the united states. 

Sir: 

We notified you that an overwhelming force, supplied with artil- 
lery, was organizing upon our borders for the avowed purpose of invading 
Kansas, demoralizing the towns and butchering the unoffending Free State 
citizens, they constituting fourteen-twentieths of the entire population. In 
addition to the relief respectfully demanded in that notice, we earnestly 
request you to issue your proclamation immediately, forbidding the invas- 
ion. We trust there may be no delay in taking so important a step to pre- 
vent an outrage which, if carried out as planned, will stand forth without 
a parallel in the world's history. 

Yours respectfully, 

J. H. Lane, Chairman Ex. Committee K. T. 
C. Robinson, Chairman Committee of Safety. 



16* 



370 BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT. 

The President has accordingly issued the following procla- 
mation : 

PROCLAMATION OF THE PRESIDENT. 

Wiereas, indications exist that public tranquillity and the supremacy of 
law in the Territory of Kansas are endangered by the reprehensible acts or 
purposes of persons, both within and without the same, who propose to 
direct and control its political organizations by force ; it appearing that 
combinations have been formed thereia. to resist the execution of the Ter- 
ritorial laws, and thus, in effect subvert by violence all present constitu- 
tional and legal authority ; it also appearing that persons residing without 
the Territory, but near its borders, contemplate armed intervention in the 
affairs thereof; it also appearing that other persons, inhabitants of remote 
States, are collecting money, engaging men, and providing arms for the 
same purpose ; and it further appearing that combinations within the Ter- 
ritory are endeavoring, by the agency of emissaries and otherwise, to 
induce individual States of the Union to interfere in the affairs thereof, in 
violation of the Constitution of the United States. And, whereas, all such 
plans for the determination of the future institutions of the Territory, if car- 
ried into action from within the same, will constitute the fact of insurrection, 
and, if from without, that of invasive aggression, and will, in either case, jus- 
tify and require the forcible interposition of the whole power of the general 
government, as well to maintain the laws of the territory as those of the Union. 

Now, therefore, I, Franklin Pierce, President of the United States, do 
issue this my proclamation to command all persons engaged in unlawful 
combinations against the constituted authority of the Territory of Kansas 
or of the United States to disperse and retire peaceably to their respective 
abodes, and to warn all such persons that an attempted insurrection in said 
Territory, or aggressive intrusion into the same, will be resisted not only 
by the employment of the local militia, but also by that of any available 
forces of the United States ; to the end of assuring immunity from vio- 
lence and full protection to the persons, property and civil rights of all 
peaceful and law-abiding inhabitants of the Territory. 

If, in any part of the Union, the fury of faction or fanaticism, inflamed 
into disregard of the great principles of popular sovereignty, which, 
under the Constitution, are fundamental in the whole structure of our insti- 
tutions, is to bring on the country the dire calamity of an arbitrament of 
arms in that Territory, it shall be between lawless violence on the one side 



MARCY TO SHANNON. 371 

and conservative force on the other, wielded by legal authority of the gen- 
eral government. 

I call on the citizens, both of adjoining and of distant States, to abstain 
from unauthorized intermeddling in the local concerns of the Territory, 
admonishing them that its organic law is to be executed with impartial 
justice ; that all individual acts of illegal interference will incur condign 
punishment ; and that any endeavor to interfere by organized force will be 
firmly withstood. 

I invoke all good citizens to promote order by rendering obedience to 
the law ; to seek remedy for temporary evils by peaceful means ; to dis- 
countenance and repulse the counsels and the instigations of agitators and 
disorganizers ; and to testify their attachment to their country, their pride 
in its greatness, their appreciation of the blessings they enjoy, and their 
determination that republican institutions shall not fail in their hands, by 
co-operating to uphold the majesty of the laws and to vindicate the sanc- 
tity of the Constitution. 

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal 
of the United States to be affixed to these presents. 

Done at the city of Washington, the eleventh day of February, in the 
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, and of the inde- 
pendence of the United States the eightieth. 

Franklin Pierce. 
By the President : W. L. Marcy, Secretary of State. 

Here follow the Secretary of State's instructions to Governor 
Shannon. 

MR. MARCY TO GOVERNOR SHANNON. 

Department of State, Washington, Feb. 16, 1856. 

Sir: 

I herewith enclose to you a copy of a proclamation by the Presi- 
dent, dated the 11th hist., duly authenticated, and also a copy of orders 
issued from the Department of War to Colonel Sumner and Brevet Colonel 
Cooke, of the United States Army. 

The President is unwilling to believe that, in executing your duties as 
Governor of the Territory of Kansas, there will be any occasion to call in 
the aid of the United States troops for that purpose, and it is enjoined upon 
you to do all that can possibly be done before resorting to that measure ; 
yet if it becomes indispensably necessary to do so, in order to execute the 



372 INSTRUCTIONS TO COLON KLS SUMNER AND COOKE. 

laws, and preserve the peace, you are hereby authorized by the President 
to make requisition upon the officers commanding the United States mili- 
tary forces at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley, for such assistance as 
may be needed for the above specified purpose. While confiding in the 
respect of our citizens for the laws, and the efficiency of the ordinary 
means provided for protecting their rights and property, he deems it, how- 
ever, not improper, considering the peculiar situation of affairs in the Ter- 
ritory of Kansas, that you should be authorized to have the power herein 
conferred, with a view to meet any extraordinary emergency that may 
arise, trusting that it will not be used until you shall find a resort to it un- 
avoidable, in order to insure the due execution of the laws and to preserve 
the public peace. 

Before actual interposition of the military force on any occasion, you 
will cause the proclamation of the President, with which you are herewith 
furnished, to be publicly read. 

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

W. L. Marcy. 

Hon. Wilson Shannon, Governor of the Territory of Kansas. 

The following communication is addressed to Governor Shan- 
non, as the Chief Executive of Kansas Territory, by the Secre- 
tary of War. It covers a copy of the orders issued from his 
department to Colonels Sumner and Cooke, the military com- 
mandants, who are directed, under certain contingencies, to lend 
their aid in putting down any future disturbance which may 
arise in Kansas. 

THE SECRETARY OF WAR TO COLONELS SUMNER AND COOKE. 

War Department, Washington, Feb. 15, 1856. 
Sir: 

The President has, by proclamation, warned all persons, combined 
for insurrection or invasive aggression against the organized government 
of the Territory of Kansas, or associated to resist the due execution of the 
laws therein, to abstain from such revolutionary and lawless proceedings, 
and has commanded them to disperse, and retire peaceably to their re- 
spective abodes, on pain of being resisted by his whole constitutional pow- 
er. If, therefore, the Governor of the Territory, finding the ordinary 



JEFFF.RSOV DAVIS TO GOVERNOR SHANNON. 373 

course of judicial proceedings and the powers vested in the United States 
Marshals inadequate for the suppression of insurrectionary combinations 
or armed resistance to the execution of the law, should make requisition 
upon you to furnish a military force to aid him in the performance of that 
official duty, you are hereby directed to employ for that purpose, such part 
of your command as may, in your judgment, consistently be detached from 
their ordinary duty. 

In executing this delicate function of the military power of the United 
States, you will exercise much caution, to avoid, if possible, collision with 
even insurgent citizens, and will endeavor to suppress resistance to the 
laws and constituted authorities, by that moral force, which happily, in our 
country, is ordinarily sufficient to secure respect to the laws of the land, 
and the regularly constituted authorities of the government. You will use 
a sound discretion as to the moment at which the further employment of 
the military force may be discontinued, and avail yourself of the first op- 
portunity to return with your command to the more grateful and prouder 
service of the soldier — that of common defence. 

For your guidance in the premises, you are referred to the acts of 28th 
of February, 1795, and 3d of March, 1807 [see Military Laws, pages 301 
and 123], and to the proclamation of the President, a copy of which is 
herewith transmitted. 

Should you need further and more specific instructions, or should, in the 
progress of events, doubts arise in your mind as to the course which it 
may be proper for you to pursue, you will communicate directly with this 
Department, stating the points upon which you wish to be informed. 
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

Jefferson Davis, 
Secretary of War. 

War Department, Feb. 15, 1856. 
Sir: 

The foregoing is a copy of the letters addressed to Colonel E. V. 
Sumner, United States Army, commanding at Fort Leavenworth, and to 
Brevet Colonel P. St. G. Cooke, commanding at Fort Ripley, and is fur- 
nished for your information. 

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

Jefferson Davis, 
Secretary of War. 
Hon. Wilson Shannon, Governor of Kansas Territory. 



374 FROM THE GOVERNOR OF IXDIAXA. 

Among the various answers which have been addressed to the 
Kansas Free State party — appeal for aid — we have seen no 
document so unexceptionable, both in its tone, and in the very 
high ground which it takes, upon the subject of " State interfer- 
ence," as the following communication from Governor Wright of 
Indiana. 

REPLY OF THE GOVERXOR OF IXDIAXA TO THE KAXSAS APPEAL 
FOR AID. 

In answer to the appeal for aid signed by J. H. Lane, Chair- 
man of the Executive Committee, and C. Robinson, Governor- 
elect of Kansas Territory, Governor Wright, of Indiana, has 
written the following letter: 

Executive Department, Indiana, ) 
Indianapolis, Feb. 12, 1856. f 

Gentlemen : 

Your communication of the 31st of January, addressed to me in 
an official capacity, and asking that steps may be taken to protect your 
people from the violence of the citizens of Missouri, is now before me. 

If the Legislature were in session, I should lay your communication 
before them, not with the most remote idea that Indiana would deviate 
from her well-known opinion, upon the principle involved, but out of 
respect to you as citizens. 

I shall certainly not interfere in the domestic institutions of your Terri- 
tory, nor recommend that our people should take any part therein. 

The conduct of the Missourians, as well as of those from the Free States, 
who have gone into your Territory, with the view of controlling your 
elections, and not to become bona fide citizens, is alike reprehensible, and 
liable to the severest censure and punishment. 

But the remedy for these evils is properly and constitutionally lodged 
with the legal and sovereign power of the Territory ; and if this is not 
sufficient, it is most wisely left to the action of the Executive of the Nation, 
and to that of Congress. 

Our form of Government never contemplated, for a moment, that, in the 
domestic troubles so frequently arising in the different States and Terri- 
tories of the Union, sister States in the confederacy should take any part. 



SENSIBLE AND TO THE POINT. 3*15 

Whenever this doctrine is assumed and carried out, we shall find ourselves 
approaching a state of things that will sweep away all the safe bonds and 
ties that bind us together as one people. 

We must live faithfully up to all our contracts — not only discharging the 
duties we owe to our own State or Territory, but those we owe to the 
National Government. And this can be done most effectually by guarding 
against the slightest encroachment upon the great bond of our Union, 
which makes us a united people. In the furtherance of this object we 
should act toward every member of the confederacy alike — to each as 
equal to equal. While we enjoy the right to make our own form of Go- 
vernment as to all our domestic institutions, we should freely accord the 
same right to others. 

There is a spirit of propagandism, which seems to be increasing in the 
South and the Nor^h, to which even the law-making powers is invoked. 
This must not be countenanced or encouraged. The whole force of the 
legal power of the State or Territory, must be brought into vigorous action 
to arrest it. 

When this fails, the ample power vested by Jhe Constitution in the Exe- 
cutive, and Congress of the nation, must be sought. Should all this prove 
ineffectual, Ave shall be not only on the verge of anarchy and rebellion, but 
ready for the worst of all evils — intestine war with all the calamities that 
must follow the hostile array of neighbor against neighbor, brother against 
brother, son against sire — war among those of the same race, the same 
name, the same blood. 

As a State, we are surrounded by our sisters in the confederacy, differing 
in many domestic institutions. In some of them have occurred mobs, 
riots, and destruction of human life ; in others the sanctuary of the elec- 
tive franchise has been invaded ; but the thought has never occurred to 
our peaceable and law-abiding citizens that the sovereign power in these 
respective States, in connection with the strong national arms, was insuf- 
ficient to bring about the observance of law and order. 

So long as our people recognize this principle, and fully carry it out, we 
shall have respect for the supremacy of law, and for its administrators. If 
we depart from it in the higher and more delicate relation that we sustain 
to the different members of the confederacy, we shall find that, in the same 
proportion, citizens of the counties and townships will be engaged in open 
violation of law — trampling upon those in authority, in the smaller com- 
munities, and there will be no safety for property, liberty, or life. 

The want of confidence, North and South, in the ability of the people of 



876 HIGHLY CIIED'TABLE TO ITS AUTHOR. 

Kansas to mould their own institutions to suit themselves, and the con- 
sequent aggressive spirit of interference for the purpose of influencing 
their elections, seem to originate in a sort of egotism, both in parties and 
individual citizens, who, while they doubt the integrity and capacity of the 
people of Kansas, are ready to assert their own honesty and ability to 
regulate their institutions for them. 

Indiana, as a State, has wisely selected her own domestic policy. She is 
willing to give her neighbors the same right, and to suppose them capable 
of choosing and deciding for themselves. She has never given any cause of 
complaint to any of her sister States or Territories, And I do most sincerely 
hope that none of her citizens will so far forget the relation they sustain to 
their neighbors, and the national compact, as to take any part in the strifes 
and contentions of others who are openly violating the laws of the land. 

Notwithstanding it was telegraphed from your Territory to New York 
that I was willing and ready to offer the assistance of citizens of this State, 
in your controversy, let me assure you that while I have the honor to be 
her Executive officer, I will not in any manner attempt to bring her down 
from her present high position, and have her in any way mingling in the 
domestic strife of her sister States or Territories. The sentiment of our 
people is to leave the settlement of these questions to the people of Kansas, 
who are the actual citizens of the Territory. If this cannot be brought 
about — if influences are at work which render this impossible — the remedy 
is not to be found by others unlawfully interfering, but, by the Constitution 
and laws, is most properly lodged in the hands of those who have the 
power and ability to restore order and peace. 

Appeals are frequently made to our sympathies, to redress grievances 
and outrages, which occur in many of the relations of life, and in many 
instances, these influences command our services. But in the higher and 
more important relations we sustain to each other, as members of our 
happy form of government, the Constitution and the laws should alone be 
the rule of our action. 

There are those who indulge in the use of hard names and sectional 
phrases, such as subsei'viency to Southern interest, doughfaces, and the 
like, in order to influence the public mind, and to arouse our people to the 
violation of law. All this, however, I ardently hope, will not lead our 
people away from the great principle that underlies all our institutions — 
the absolute right of each State and Territory to make its own institutions, 
without the influence of others. 

Upon this principle we can stand and maintain the peace and harmony 



A TRIF1.I\<; MISTAKE SOMEWHERE. 3 T T 

of the Union with safety and honor. It is the corner stone upon which 
the security and perpetuity of the Union rests. 

Having the utmost confidence that the people of Indiana will not, under 
any circumstances, abandon this high position, I frankly say to you, no 
efforts will be made by this department to induce a solitary citizen to enter 
upon a crusade against any portion of the people of the Union or their 
institutions. If others do wrong, we will do right. 

I have the honor to be, yours most respectfully, 

Joseph A. Wright. 
James H. Lane,C. Robinson, and George W. Deitzer, Lawrence City, K. T. 

We feel constrained to add the following note. While in 
Lawrence, we heard it spoken of as a matter of public notoriety, 
that Governor Wright, of Indiana, was one of the strongest and 
most active sympathizers with the Free State party in Kansas, 
in proof of which, General Lane, on one occasion, exhibited to 
us a letter, which he informed us had been received by himself, 
from Governor Wright, of Indiana, but a day or two before. 
We read this letter. It was, if we remember aright, dated at 
Indianapolis, and was certainly signed by Joseph A. Wright. 
The writer, in this communication, approves in the strongest 
terms of the course pursued by the Free State leaders in 
Kansas — advises Lane to go on as he had begun — assures him 
of sympathy, and promises " material aid " in the following, or 
nearly, the following words • 

" I have money, and can raise men, and if necessary, will 
furnish five hundred as good boys as are to be found upon the 
Wabash valley." 

Now, we should be pleased to know, how we are to reconcile 
this plain spoken letter, which preaches " war to the knife," with 
his Excellency of Indiana's very pacific reply to his soi-disan 
Correspondent's appeal for help, when it comes before him in his 
official capacity, and in which he vindicates doctrines, which 
would do credit to William Penn, or Mr. Bright himself ? There 
is evidently a trifling mistake somewhere. 



378 



THE FIRST LEGISLATURE OF KANSAS. 



We may as well add the finale to our documentary 
information, by closing this chapter with an abstract from the 
official catalogue of the members and officers of both houses of 
the First Legislative Assembly of Kansas Territory, which con- 
vened on the 2d day of July, 1855. This is what the Free State 
party call the " Missouri Bogus Legislature." 



MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF THE COUNCIL. 



Names. j Age. 


Occupation. 


Nati- 
vity. 


How long in 
the Territory 


Quotations from their speeches. 


T. Johnson, President, L„ , 
Supt. of Shawnee Mis. M yi s ' 


Farmer, 


Va., 


18 Years, 


Justice to all. 


R. R. Reese, Pres't. pro 
tem., 


43 " 


Lawyer, 


Ohio, 


10 months, 


Just laws and rigid exe- 










cution. 


John W. Forman, 


36 " 


Merchant, 


Ky., 


12 years, 


The Organic Act — our 
Charter of Liberty. 


A. M. Coffey, 


51 " 


Farmer, 


Ky., 


4 « 


" The Union, it must be 
preserved." 


D. Lykins, 


34 » 


Physician. 


la., 


12 " 


Cuba must be annexed. 


W. P. Richardson, Maj. 
Gen. Com'g. K. M., 


53 " 


Farmer, 


Ky-, 


9 " 


Hemp for negro-stealers. 


H. J. Strickler, Brig'r. 
Gen. K. M., 


24 " 


Survey'r & 
Civ. Eng. 


Va., 


6 months, 


The South and her In- 
stitutions. 


L. J. Eastin, do., Ed. 
Leavenw'th City He'd. 


40 " 


Printer, 


Ky., 


9 " 


Negro Slavery for Kan- 
sas. "Good." 


D. A. N. Grover, 


26 " 


Lawyer, 


Ky., 


10 years, 


Homestead for the 
Squatters. 


W T m. Barbee, 


29 " 


Lawyer, 


Ky., 


1 " 


Majority shall rule. 
The cause I advocate 


Jno. Donaldson, 


25 " 


Merchant, 


Ky., 


6 months, must succeed. It is right, 












it is just. 


A. McDonald, 


37 " 


Lawyer, 


Va., 


10 " 


" United we stand." 
As an American, I reve- 


E. Chapman, 


27 « 


Lawyer, 


La., 


10 " 


rence the Constitution, 
now and forever. 


Jno. A. Halderman, Ch. 
Clk. 


24 « 


Lawyer, 


Mo., 


14 « 




Ch. H. Grover, As. Clk. 


24 " 


Lawyer, 


Ky., 


11 years, 


A new treaty with the 
Delawares. 


T. C. Hughes, En'g. Clk. 


37 " 


Farmer, 


Md., 


5 months, 


Down with the National 
Democracy in Kansas. 
Kansas— May her virgin 


S. J. Waful, En'g. Clk. 


23 " 


Farmer, 


N.Y., 


14 " 


soil be unpolluted by the 
foul stain of free-soilism. 


C. B. Whitehead, Sgt.- 
at-arms, 


41 - 


Farmer, 


Va., 


2 years. 





OFFICIAL LIST OF THE MEMBERS. 



319 



MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 



Names. 


Age. 


Occupation. 


Nati- 
vity. 


How Ions: in 
the territory. 


Quotations from their speeches. 


J. M. Banks, 


86 yr's. 


Farmer, 


Penn., 


1 Year, 


"Justice and truth." 


J. P. Blair, 


47 " 


Farmer, 


Tenn., 


6 months, 




0. H. Browne, 


34 " 


Farmer, 


Md., 


1 year, 


"Be just and fear not." 


D. L. Oroysdale, 


26 " 


Physician, 


Mo., 


1 " 




II. B. C. Harris, 


30 " 


Physician, 


Va., 


9 months, 


Act justly but fearlessly. 


W. A. Heiskill, 


47 " 


Merchant, 


Va., 


6 years, 


" The South— her rights 
and interests." 


Samuel D. Houston, 


36 " 


Farmer, 


Ohio, 






Alex. S. Johnson, 


23 " 


Farmer, 


K. T., 


23 " 


Peaceably if we can — 
forcibly if we must. 


R. L. Kirk, 


37 " 


Farmer, 


Ky., 


9 months, 


" My country, my whole 
country." 


Frank J. Marshall, 


38 " 


Merchant, 


Va., 


4 years, 


" Be sure you're right, 
then go-ahead." 


Win. a. Mathias, 


29 " 


Lawyer, 


Md., 


10 months, 


No disorganization — no 
fanaticism. 


M. W. McGee, 


36 " 


Merchant, 


Ky-, 


1 year, 


Kansas with Southern 
institutions. 


H. D. McMeekin, 


33 " 


Merchant, 


Ky., 


5 " 


" We fight to conquer." 


A. Payne, 


36 " 


Farmer, 


Ky., 


1 « 


Union first — South all 
the time. 


Samuel Scott, 


52 " 


Farmer, 


Ky., 


7 months, 


Onward march to vic- 
tory. 

Non- intercourse and 
Southern rights. 


W. H. Tebbs, 


32 " 


Physician, 


Va., 


1 year, 


A. B. Wade, 


26 " 


Farmer, 


Mo., 


1 " 




«. W. Ward, 


55 " 


Farmer, 


Ky., 


1 " 


Justice and the South. 


T. W. Waterson, 


44 " 


Farmer, 


Penn., 


18 months, 


Kansas for the South, 
now and forever. 


Jonah Weddle 


28 " 


Teacher, 


Va., 


1 year, 


" Kansas, the South and 
the Union. " 


Jas. Whitlock, 


37 " 


Farmer, 


Mo., 


10 months, 


My country's flag. 


Samuel A. Williams, 


35 " 


Fanner, 


Ky., 


6 " 


" Kansas and the 
Union." 


Allen Wilkinson, 


35 " 


Farmer, 


Tenn., 


8 " 




H. W. Younger, 


43 " 


Farmer, 


Mo., 


S " 


Order and liberty. 


J. H. Stringfellow, Sp'kr 












Ed. of "Squatter So- 


35 " 


Physician, 


Va., 


1 year, 


Squatter rights. 


vereign," 












J. C. Anderson, Sp'ker, 

pro tem, 
J. M. Lyle, Chief Clerk. 


25 " 


Lawyer, 


Ky., 


10 months, 


Vox populi,vox Dei. 


22 " 


Lawyer, 


S. C, 


6 " 


Civil and religious li- 
berty. 


Jno. Martin, As't. Cl'k. 


21 " 


Lawyer, 


Tenn., 


6 " 


Strict construction of 
the Constitution. 


J. C. Thompson, En- 










To the victors beloi^ 


gros. Clerk, 


25 " 


Lawyer, 


Ohio, 


1 year, 


the spoils. 


B. F. Simmons, Enroll- 
ing Clerk, 


29 " 


Lawyer, 


N.O., 


6 months, 


Union only when it pro- 
tects our interests. 


T. J. B. Cramer, Serg't- 
at-Arms, 


88 " 


Farmer, 


Va., 


1 year, 




B. P. Campbell, Door- 
Keeper, 


28 " 


Farmer, 


N. Y., 


10 months, 


"Kansas to lie the 
brightest star of ail." 


John T. Peery, Chap- 
lain, 


38 " 


Minister, 


Va., 


12 years, 


Religion — the corner- 
stone of civilization. 


John T. Brady, Pub. Pr. 


24 " 


Lawyer, 


Md., 


16 months. 


The Constitution. 


S. A. Lowe, Cong. Clk. 


35 " 


Lawyer, 


Md., 


2 years, 


Money makes the mare 
go. 



Note.— The members were all Pro-Slavery in their politics, except Samuel D. Houston 
—a Free Soiler— who, finding himself in a strong minority, resigned his seat. 



380 CITIZENSHIP or THE BOGUS LEGISLATURE. 

If the foregoing be correct, it certainly goes far towards dis- 
proving the allegations which have been made as to the members 
of the so-called Missouri Bogus Legislature being citizens of 
Missouri. For it will be perceived, by reference to these tables 
— which are accurate extracts from the official record — that 
eleven Members of the Council had been residents of the Terri- 
tory for over a year, six of whom had been ten years in Kansas ; 
while of the members of the House of Representatives, twenty 
individuals had resided iu the Territory for one year, of whom 
five were residents of over four years' standing: the total of 
officers and members of both houses being fifty-three. Of the 
quotations from their speeches, we like those the best of Messrs. 
Coffey and Chapman in the Council, and Martin and Brady in 
the House. They are evidently Union men of the right stamp. 

JUSTICE TO GOVERNOR WRIGHT. 

Note. — Since writing the foregoing, we have learned from a gentleman who left Law- 
rence on the 29th of January, that the letter referred to — which Gen. Lane supposed to 
have been penned by His Excellency the Governor of Indiana — was really written by 
Judge John W. Wright, of that State; the epistle being signed J. W. Wright, and being, 
moreover, very hastily written, the initial of the middle name, W., was mistaken for A., 
which is the second initial of Governor Wright's name — hence the mistake. Judge 
Wright's letter, as we have been informed, was published in the New York Tribune; 
it says, if we remember the words, " I have sons and money, and will raise five hundred 
as good boys," &c. As His Excellency the Governor has been blessed with but one 
daughter, and no boys at all, it has afforded no little amusement to the good people of 
Indiana that their Governor should have been accused of volunteering to send his sons to 
fight a possible Free State battle in Kansas. Judge Wright, by the way, is reported to 
stand by his belligerent communication. We sincerely hope that the Governor will be 
equally strenuous in carrying out to the letter, the irreproachable sentiments contained in 
his reply. \ 



LAWRENCE BY COMPARISON. 381 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

FREE STATE ODDS AND ENDS. 

To return to the consideration of Lawrence, or rather, to 
contrast the place with other frontier settlements, w r e should 
say, that if Free-State-ism be an element of respectability, the 
town of Lawrence is certainly a proof of its salutary effect, for 
in many respects, it will compare favorably with auy Far 
Western, or, for that matter, almost any New England village, 
as regards the moral and intellectual tone of its inhabitants. 
We must allow that while we remained there, we saw neither 
card-playing, gambling, nor drinking; which is more, we fancy, 
than even the most enthusiastic admirer of " Southern institu- 
tions," can say truthfully, of any Pro-Slavery town in Kansas. 
And this commendation of Lawrence may, if we be correctly 
informed, apply to most of the Free State settlements in the 
Territory. The same thing may also be alleged in the majority 
of individual cases. 

u I can tell," said a Pro-Slavery man to us, during our sojourn 
in Kansas, " I can tell a Free State settler's claim from a 
Pro-Slavery man's — particularly, if the latter owns negroes, as 
far as I can see it; for while the slave-owner's dwelling is, as a 
general thing, in bad repair, and his land shiftlessly cultivated, 
the Free Soiler's farm is not only well cared for, but exhibits, iu 
all its appointments, the orderly results of a superintending head 
as well as a working arm 



382 A PRO-SLAVERY SQUATTER'S CABIN t . 

We must confess that this very candid admission, on the part 
of our Pro-Slavery friend, has been abundantly endorsed by our 
own personal observations, both in Kansas and elsewhere. 
There is a difference, and a most unmistakable one, between 
the surroundings and conveniences of life, which are, even upon 
the frontier, a sine qua, non with the Free State emigrant ; and 
the " dead-and-alive/ 7 " get-along-any-how " system, which but 
too frequently renders comfortless the Pro-Slavery man's . " im- 
provement." Were we to analyze the causes which lead to, and 
continue this strongly-marked contrast, we should say, that it 
proceeded not from any physical or natural advantages on the 
part of the more thrifty proprietor, but simply from the fact, 
that in the one case, the agriculturist Joes his own work, and 
has it well done in consequence; while in the other, the planter 
trusts to chance, and a lazy " nigger " or two, which usually 
ends in things being only half done, or, as sometimes happens, 
in their being neglected altogether. 

As an evidence of the very dissimilar working out of the two 
systems just referred to, we will give the reader a brief outline — 
with the proviso, that "there are exceptions to all general rules" 
— of a " squatter's improvement " in either case : and first for 
the Pro- Slavery man's. 

More land than its owner can cultivate properly " at present," 
or probably ever will; an ill-daubed cabin; a tumble-down 
chimney; a filthy yard; hogs and poultry running at large, 
where they ought not to be; the fences down; the gate, if there 
be one, off the hinges; the doors too short for the spaces they 
are intended to fill; the windows stuffed with old hats and cast 
off clothing, to make up for their deficiencies in glass ; timber- 
land half cleared ; and then left to grow up again; no shelter for 
the cattle; more than a sufficiency of snarling worthless curs. So 
much for exterior. Within : — A dirty floor, and tobacco-stained 
hearth; broken, or worse still, half-mended furniture; no books; 



THE FREE SOILER's LOCATION. 383 

ink hard to find; writing-paper laid away since the "old man 
writ out a receipt for Sam Harris's nigger about six months 
ago;" pens in some un-come-at-able locality; whisky plenty; a 
"pack of keards" in the house; the females look care-worn, 
sickly, and overworked; the children would be the better for a 
little " Deo wn East" common schooling; the man himself seems 
rough, uncouth — and in political matters, where his peculiar 
prejudices come in play, is narrow-minded, ignorant, and uncom- 
promising. His best hope in life is to " get along " in a happy- 
go-lucky sort of way, which he calls " a-doin'-right-peartly"; 
and his sole policy, as an agriculturist, is expressed in a firm 
determination, which he is constantly coming to, but never 
carries out — not to raise hogs and corn upon his farm, another 
year, because he did so last season, which resulted, as he 
"allows" in " thar hogs eatin' up all thar corn, an'- thar nig- 
gars eatin' up all thar hogs," a procedure that left him at the 
end of the year, with a balance " of nary red cent to buy store 
goods with." " And so he plays his part." 

But how is it with the Free Soiler's "location ?" 
Timber-land yielding slowly, but surely, to an axe, that 
leaves no unfinished work behind it; cultivated fields, which are 
witnesses in themselves, that no effort has been spared to make 
the recently virgin soil do its utmost as a producer. A rough 
cabin, it is true, but as comfortable within, as mud plastering 
and solid logs can make it. The fences are in good order; the 
gate turns easily upon its home-made hinges, and is kept closed 
by a weight, which does what carejess people sometimes forget 
to do, by shutting it. The windows, like an old lady with the 
rheumatism, are full of panes; the "unclean beast" keeps his 
place, and the chickens have a coop; there is enough and to 
spare in the store-room, and food for the brain upon the shelf. 
The woman is something more than a domestic drudge; there 



384 FKKE STATE AMUSEMEXIS. 

are fifty things that tell of her feminine taste, as well as pains- 
taking neatness in the little adornments of this frontier home. 
The children "get their lessons" and "say them to mamma 
every day." The man himself is keen, shrewd, and calcu- 
lating; he determines what ought to be done, and then goes and 
does it. He will, if circumstances favor, grow rich. 

And now, we would appeal confidently to any common sense, 
and impartial Pro-Slavery man, to know whether these two 
every-day pictures are, or are not, " sketches from the life," 
which could be verified, if need be, by ten miles of travel, in 
almost any one of the border counties of our far-western slave- 
holding States ? 

The amusements — if so warlike a people have time for suchfri. 
volities — of the good citizens of Lawrence, would appear to bo 
confined to the excitement of talking politics, getting up meetings, 
passing resolutions, listening to speeches, and discussing Kansas 
matters generally ; unless, indeed, when they see fit to vary 
these pastimes by the lighter relaxations of " playing soldier," 
digging trenches, and building mud forts, or it may be, by danc- . 
ing, until the grey dawn peeps rebukingly in upon their revels, 
at such social gatherings as that which we have endeavored 
to describe, under the head of the " New Year's Night party." 

There is yet another peculiarity about these " Lawrence 
folks," which is decidedly in their favor — they are a reading peo- 
ple, and here again, as a faithful delineator, we are constrained 
to admit, that this seems a Free State singularity, also, for on 
the Border, " niggers " and brains, do not, alas ! always go 
hand iu hand. They are, moreover, if the postmasters are to be 
credited — a writing people — at least, so far as their correspond- 
ence is concerned — for those having charge of Uncle Sam's mails, 
say, that the Lawrence letter-bags both go and come more 
heavily laden, than those of any other town in the Territory. 



WE DETERMINE TO LEAVE KANSAS. 385 

As another evidence of her literary proclivities, Lawrence is 
soon to have a " circulating library,'-' for an enterprising Rhode 
Islander — and who does not know that " Little Rhody's " 
children go far and wide, and in many instances fulfill the Scrip- 
tural injunction by being " wise as serpents," though not always 
"as harmless as the dove" — has opened a little shop, bookstore, 
and what-not, upon Massachusetts street, and intends adding a 
perambulating collection of standard works within the year. 
The person alluded to, is a certain Mr. Wilmarth, of Providence, 
who will — we doubt not — prove " a credit to thar diggins "—all 
stony though they be — " that gave him birth." 

And now, let us resume our journalizing, for our time in Free 
State Kansas grows short, and our visit to the " seat of war " 
is drawing to its close. Yes, we have argued the matter both 
pro and con — to go or not to go, being the question — but after 
an hour's consideration of the many reasons why we should, and 
the few why we should not, return to the civilized East, with its 
home comforts, and excellent reputation for steady habits, we 
were about adjourning the case to another sitting, when the 
entrance of our friend, Eldridge, interrupted our cogitations, and 
turned the scale in favor of to go. For it appeared that he was 
about starting upon the morrow, in his own conveyance, for 
Kansas City, Mo., the road to which passes through Westport 
— our first halting-place upon the home-trail — and was even then 
looking for us, to invite " Our Correspondent " to accompany 
him upon the journey as far as he desired to go. And since 
peace was concluded, and tranquillity restored, we could see 
nothing to detain us, as a newspaper correspondent, in a region 
where startling events and interesting items were already like 
angel's visits, becoming few and far between. So we said amen 
to Eldridge's proposition, packed our leathern hold-all, and then 
sat down to write, under the caption of January 8th, such last 
lines as the following : 

n 



386 A FREE SOIL MARTYR. 

January 8th. — Our last evening at the " Cincinnati House/' — 
The tallow candle is lighted — the stove red hot — the political 
disputants all assembled — our fat landlady bends over her everlast- 
ing stocking-mending, and " Long Sweetening " gabbles away as 
if her tongue was an express train, and considerably behind time 
at that. 

" Our Correspondent" occupies his accustomed chair, but his 
usual allowance of elbow-room has been docked down, by a " cir- 
cumstance," to half a table, and " the circumstance," my curious 
friend, is a short, duck-legged, and broad-shouldered individual, 
with an unwholesome complexion, fiery red hair, coarse hands, 
and glassy, weak eyes, which keep blinking under their faint eye- 
lashes, like a night owl's in the sun. This " circumstance," too, 
was a somewhat notorious but withal amusing character in his 
way. In fine, he was a person — if his own account may be 
credited — of terrible experience — a Free-Soil Politician martyr of 
class A, No. 1, who had fought, suffered and bled — 'twas at the nose 
— for the advancement of Popular Sovereignty, Black Republican- 
ism, and such like, in Kansas ; for all of which he had been re- 
warded — oh ! most ungrateful world ! — by becoming the butt for 

" People's wicked jokes." 

Yea, even among the " faithful " of his own party. But as 
there was really some fun in the animal — his grotesque outside 
to the contrary, notwithstanding — we determined to " trot him 
out :" so with this praiseworthy object in view, we entered into 
conversation with the Circumstance, who was a Colonel, withal, 
having been breveted to that rank by some mischievous wag, 
for his distinguished services — as his funny friend expressed it — 
in annoying the Border Ruffians while a prisoner in their camp, 
until his unbounded loquacity had fairly bored those worthy 
people into granting the martyr an unconditional parole. 

" Colonel," said we, after a conversational opener, upon that 



THE CIRCUMSTANCE. 38 1 

unfailing theme, the weather, " you seem to be quite a literary 
man, if one might judge from the closely-written sheets which 
you are so busily adding to." 

The Colonel admits the soft impeachment, and proceeds to 
inform us that " it was a kinder history like of what he'd bin 
a-goin' through, while under guard among the Pro-Slavery sol- 
diers in the Wakaruse n — as he pronounced it — " Camp." 

" If it's a fair question, Colonel, might we inquire what you 
iutend doing with your ' history,' when it is completed ? Is it to 
be published, or do you merely propose to circulate it in its pres- 
ent form among your political friends ?" 

" Wael, neow, I guess it is a-goin' tew be printed, Mister ; I'm 
a-ritin' it out tew send tew the Editor of the Nigger Sufferin', 
Sympathizin' Thunderbolt of Freedom. — This name will do as 
well as any other. — " I'm a-doin' it up amazin' slick, tew, and 
a-fixin' off them Border Ruffians just about right. I shouldn't 
wonder ef it made considerable of a stir when it gits published. 
I did think when I fust thought of putting my persecutions all 
down on paper, of sendin' it tew the Editor of Mr. Harper's 
Magazine, which maybe you've hearn tell on • but I calculated, after 
considerin' a spell, that the Thunderbolt would pitch intew those 
all-fired mean scamps — the Missourians — a nation sight stronger." 

We intimated that we concurred fully in the Colonel's senti- 
ments, and expressed an opinion that the " history would make 
considerable of a stir." We, moreover, insinuated, as flatteringly 
as we could, that " Our Correspondent" would be delighted if 
its talented author could favor us with a perusal of his manu- 
script ; to which our friend, "The Circumstance," obligingly 
consents, and after a very slight display of diffidence, hands 
over the first fifteen pages, being all, as he says, that he has 
" yet got finished up right slick, and copied off ready for the 
editur." It is, moreover, written upon foolscap — quite an ap- 
propriate selection of stationery — which goes to prove that 



388 ADDING IXSULT TO INJURY. 

'The Circumstance" has an innate knowledge of the fitness of 
things, or, as Mr. Somebody says, " goes in for a most refreshing 
preservation of the unities." 

We unfold the manuscript — we settle ourself to read — the 
contents are peppery and amusing withal — the style knocks Mur- 
ray and the writers on Composition into fits — the spelling is an 
improvement upon Webster's " biggest," insomuch as " The Cir- 
cumstance " goes entirely by sound, or, in other words, spells 
with a Deown Eastern accent We get deeper into the story — 
our face expands — we have arrived at the most solemn part of 
"his suffering" — he is choked — he is reduced to a solitary shirt 
— he endeavors to eat, not only his own words, but somebody's 
else, but his irritated stomach rejects the indignity, and vomits 
forth the written word, even as the whale of old did Jonah — we 
go on with our reading — we smile — we can't help it — we bury 
our face in the sheets to conceal our mirth, for we are perusing 
that part of the martyr's narrative, which sets forth his thrilling 
adventures in the town of Franklin, where — so says his history — 
he was taken to a grocery — it may, perchance, be the same that 
we have elsewhere described — by his captors, the renowned Sher- 
iff Jones being at their head, and then and there compelled to sit 
by and look on patiently, while his Border Ruffian guards whiled 
away the night by playing sundry games of euchre, with a due 
observance of the Far Western rule of u anti up or leave the 
board," "until," says the martyr, "Sheriff Jones lost forty-five 
dollars, and then, bein' busted up himself, turned round and 
asked me if I didn't want tew take a hand, which I guessed was 
intended to be a addin' of injury to insult, as Mr. Boz's parrot 
said, when they carried him away from his native country, and 
made him study the English language afterwards." 

At this point of "The Circumstance's" narrative, we tried 
one of Mr. Weller's easy inside laughs, which proved a failure 
— we could restrain our mirth no longer — we " snickered right 



A PRO-SLAVERY NOTICE TO QUIT. 389 

out" — "The Circumstance" looked astonished — so we made a 
bad joke to cover our breach of etiquette, and tried to look 
sorry and sentimental as we once more bent over the manuscript ; 
but it wouldn't do, " Natur' would have her way " — we read a 
line or two — relapsed again — apologized — burst into another 
roar, and finally, with a hasty good night, seized a tallow can- 
dle, and fairly rushed off to bed, muttering something as we 
went, about packing up and an early start, but, in reality, to 
escape the storm of wrath, which our ill-timed merriment had 
called forth; for the unwholesome hue of our bandy-legged " Cir- 
cumstance's " angry face was already rivalling the intensity of 
his fiery red hair, as the worthy Colonel strove in vain to stam- 
mer out his indignation. 

And now, let us add another medley of useful information, 
ere we say farewell to Kansas, and take the homeward road. 

The following is an abstract of a letter addressed to the editor 
of the " Missouri Democrat," by a — Free State — Kansas Cor- 
respondent. It may very properly be headed 

A BORDER RUFFIAN NOTICE TO LEAVE, ETC. 

Kansas, Monday, Feb. 18, 1856. 
The Kickapoo Rangers, who are reported to be collecting in the vicinity 
of Eastin, have sent the following letter to Mr. Sparks, advising him to 
leave : — 

TO STEPHEN SPARKS. 

The undersigned, as you are aware, are citizens of this neighborhood. 
Many of us have como hero with our families, intending to make Kansas 
our permanent home. It is our interests and desire that peace and good 
will prevail among us, and whatever may conduce to this desirable end 
will meet our hearty approval. 

The local excitements that have occurred in this vicinity have been prin- 
cipally attributed to you, and, as we believe, justly. You have figured 
in them conspicuously, and in the affair at Eastin, more reprehensibly than 



390 what's in the wind ? 

Believing, therefore, that your further residence among us is incompati- 
ble with the peace and welfare of this community, we advise you to leave 
as soon as you can conveniently do so. 

[Here follow the signatures of thirty-seven persons.] 

I have copied the above from the original letter sent to this city by Mr. 
Sparks, who says he knows several of those whose names appear affixed to 
the letter. The letter is written in a plain, legible hand, and neither of the 
signatures correspond with it, showing that the document was prepared 
with some care, and by one not on hand to sign it at the time it was 
sent. 

Mr. Sparks, you will doubtless remember, was taken prisoner at the 
election at Eastin, on the 17th of February last, by the Rangers, and after- 
wards rescued by Brown with fifteen men. 

Note. — For this act, Brown — according to Free State letter- 
w T riters — was subsequently taken prisoner by a party of the 
Rangers, and put to death. 

WHAT IS IN THE WIND? 

The "Independence Dispatch' states that the militia of the border 
counties in Missouri, are to rendezvous at Fort Scott, in this Territory, on 
the 29th of February. What business has the military forces of Missouri 
in Kansas ? and why do they concentrate their strength at Fort Scott at 
that particular juncture ? 

It is a fact, that military organizations have been forming everywhere 
along the border in Missouri, consisting generally of mounted riflemen. 
We have observed these demonstrations for some time, and now comes a 
notice to invade the Territory on the 29th inst. 

Senator Atchison, in his speech at Platte City, a few days ago, told his 
friends to hold themselves in readiness against the 4th of March, when 
they would be called upon to march into the Territory. 

NEWSPAPERS IN KANSAS. 

Leavenworth Herald. — Democratic and Pro Slavery in its 
politics — published weekly at Leavenworth City. This was the 



NEWSPAPERS IN KANSAS. 391 

first newspaper established in the Territory — on the 23rd of Dec. 
1855, it had reached the 15th No. of its second volume. It is 
edited by Brig. Geo. Lueien J. Eastin — Reeves Pollard, a rela- 
tion of the Hon. William C. Reeves, acts as its corresponding 
editor at "Washington City. Its subscription list is estimated at 
2,500. It is furnished at $2 00 per annum in advance ; this is, 
we believe, the uniform price of all newspapers in Kansas — 
there being as yet, no Daily printed in the Territory. Eastin 
and Adams are the proprietors of the Leavenworth Herald. 

Squatter Sovereign. — Published at Atchison, on Nov. 6th, 
had reached the 39th No. of the first volume. Democratic and 
Pro-Slavery — subscription list estimated at 2,200. Edited by 
Stringfellow and Reby, who are also its proprietors. 

Kansas Pioneer. — Published at Kickapoo, Leavenworth Co., 
Pro-Slavery and Know Nothing. On 9th Dec. had reached 6th 
No. of 2d volume, edited by A. B. Hazzard, Wm. P. Berry, 
its assistant editor, is said to own the paper. 

Herald of Freedom. — Published at Lawrence. Edited by 
William G. Brown. The Kansas Correspondent of the St. 
Louis Democrat, a Free Soil sheet, writes, as we are informed, 
to that paper — that this journal lost $6,000 during the first 
year. Is ultra Free State. 

The Lawrence Tribune was formerly published at Lawrence, 
and was edited by S. N. Wood and Spear, but is now either 
defunct or removed to some other part of the Territory. It 
was Free State in its politics. 

Kansas Free State, published at Lawrence. Free State in 
its politics. Miller and Elliot editors and proprietors. 

Kansas Freeman, Free State ; published at Topeka, Shawnee 
Co., edited by E. C. K. Garvey, an Irishman. This journal 
was the organ of the Free State Convention at Topeka, during 
its session, to report whose proceedings it published a daily until 
the adjournment. 



892 KICKAPOO VOLUNTEERS. 

Territorial Register, owned and edited by Mark W. Dela- 
haye, the Free State candidate for Delegate to Congress, an 
ultra Free State sheet ; the press and type of this journal were 
thrown into the Missouri river by a mob, last month ; the cause 
of complaint alleged being certain slanderous attacks upon the 
moral character of the Kickapoo Volunteers. 

The prospectuses of several new papers on both sides are out, 
but we shall content ourself with giving a list of those now in 
existence. 



A BARNUM BUT NO HUMBUG. S93 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

LAST LINES. 

And now we must be brief; suffice it to say then, that we left 
Lawrence at an early hour upon the 9th, reached Westport, Mo., 
upon the evening of that day, where we booked ourself, pe?- force, 
by Smashup's line for Jefferson City, where we arrived with, 
wonderful to relate, only one serious upset upon the 14th. Here, 
as we are very independent, we gave Smashup and Co the cold 
shoulder, by taking our own conveyance — our trustworthy 
Shank's mare, for the Gasconade, a distance of some five and 
forty miles, which we walked upon the railroed ties in two days. 
Then came Herman, from whence we travelled by the Pacific 
railroad to St. Louis, where we put up at Barnum's, one of the 
few hotels in the Western country, which we have any know- 
ledge of, that is not a Barnum in more senses than one. Here 
we tarried one night, and in the morning pursued our way east- 
ward ; but as we have already given the reader a somewhat 
lengthy sketch of our journey westward to St. Louis, we will 
bid him good-bye so far as our incidents of travel go at this point, 
for railroading is very much the same thing, whether you go or 
come. 

And finally, for a grand display of rhetorical fireworks, by 
way of finish to our history of the Wakarusa war ; we would 
respectfully request that we may be permitted to introduce the 
following. 

We are about to say a long farewell to Kansas, unless, indeed, 



394 WHAT KANSAS NEEDS. 

her good citizens should graciously condescend to get up another 
war, in which case we shall be on hand with all convenient speed 
to see the fray, and it may be, " write up " its history. But for the 
present, good-bye to the Territory — a sad farewell withal, for — 
political rows, and this bitter winter weather, always excepted — 
we are disposed to like Kansas; moreover, we believe in Kansas, 
for she will, at some future day, accomplish much greater things 
than party quarrels, or Wakarusa wars. Her strength is within 
herself — she has natural advantages which nothing but the 
Almighty's arm can wrest from her grasp — a fertile soil — a 
healthy climate — a wide expanse of territory — the want of timber 
being her only indwelling drawback. Give her these, and — we 
care not whether they come from the North or from the South — 
for we have in this matter no sectional prejudices — give her, we 
say, but a sufficiency of true-hearted, and able-bodied Anglo- 
Saxon men and women, every-day working-people, not fine ladies 
and gentlemen, not broken-down politicians, or pot-house-rant- 
ing fillibusters, and we will venture to predict that the moral 
atmosphere of the Territory would clear itself from its impuri- 
ties within six months time, but above all things, let the men 
who are to till those yet unbroken acres, and ere long make the 
laws of the State, which is soon to take her glorious place among 
the proud sisterhood of the Republic, be conservatives. For it is 
a well-established, fact, that as Radicalism is the disorganizer, 
so is Conservatism not only the pacificator but the absolute pre- 
server of the frontier. And we feel assured that if those who 
claim to be the best friends of Kansas — and in saying this we 
reiterate our disclaimer of any sectional leanings — would but be 
satisfied to attend to their own affairs, and let border disturbances 
alone, it would be infinitely better for the Territory and a real 
blessing to its inhabitants. Nations, like individuals, derive but 
little benefit from officious outside interference, however well 
intended it may be. 



BARKING BUT NOT BITING DOGS. 395 

When we started for Kansas, \vc expected to see a fight, a 
" free-fight " at that, but we have been disappointed. For though 
we found her political lions quite ready to growl, and not unwil- 
ling to show their teeth ; yet, when it came to using them, they — 
as a Western man would quaintly express it — " want thar," and 
we don't believe that many of them would have been " thar" if the 
struggle had come. This is, therefore, to our mind, another 
reason — as we would be denied even the poor consolation of 
knowing that a conflict might rid us of some bad men — for 
deprecating most strenuously either incendiary speeches or in- 
flammatory publications, for all these things can tend to but 
one result, and that is, to arouse the worst passions of the 
most brutal and least reflecting people ; and believe us, that 
there are none who appreciate more fully than some of the lead- 
ing agitators in Kansas the truth of the assertion — that it is 
far easier to excite a mob, than to restrain that mob, when evil coun- 
sels have done their irritating work. And furthermore, do not 
every-day occurrences prove that those who are readiest to 

" Cry havoc and let loose the dogs of war," 

are not always the first to be in at the death? 

But we are not prepared to admit that a reasonable amount of 
" blood-letting," might not, at one time, have done the future 
Kansas a world of good, that is to say, if the bleeding could 
have been confined to her own " body politic." But when Kansas 
bleeds, Georgia must open her veins, and Massachusetts too, 
for when this comes to pass it requires no prophet to foretell a 
struggle which will crimson alike the Missouri and the Hudson. 
Were it otherwise, we would declare ourself an upholder of the 
doctrine that " a little fighting saves a deal of quarrelling." 
But of one thing we feel confident, Kansas Territory has already 
been the theatre of too many windy battles, in which words — 
words — words— bad words — harsh words — devilish words — have 



396 A LUNATIC ASYLUM FOR DKilAGOGUES. 

been rattled dowu like hail-stoues, night after night, and day 
after day, by interested talkers upon either side, who didn't care 
a brass farthing whether the true interests of the people went 
to Pandemonium or not, so long as they — Messrs. A B and C, 
the chief strikers upon the political anvil — got an office. Would 
to God that this great, and at present happy country, had some 
vast lunatic asylum, located, if you please, amid the wilds of the 
Rocky Mountains, where tried and convicted demagogues from 
all quarters of the Union, could find a home, be supported at 
the public expense, and punished by a forced perusal of their 
own mischief-making speeches, and verily, if this book could but 
accomplish the establishment of so laudable an institution, we, its 
author, should feel more than compensated for our labor and our 
time. Finallv then, 

" Farewell, and if forever, still farewell " 

to Kansas and her children. We have, if we mistake not, left 
behind us, among our newly-formed friends of both the Free State 
and Pro-Slavery parties, many sincere well-wishers, whose kind 
regards will accompany us to our far Eastern home, and to 
whom our heart goes out, across the weary miles which separate 
us, and we flatter ourself, too, that for a New Yorker, and a news- 
paper correspondent, we have been wonderfully successful in our 
fraternizing with the so-called " Border Ruffians," a title, by the 
way, in which the residents of the frontier counties of Missouri 
take no little pride. We have even told you of a lady who, at 
a Kansas " sociable," refused to accept the hand of a Free State 
gentleman in the dance, because she was a " Border Ruffian." 
The epithet is therefore not one of reproach, save in the mouths 
of their political opponents. And since we have touched upon 
the subject, permit us, before closing this paragraph, to remark 
that a " Border Ruffian " is not always, as many would have 
you to suppose, necessarily either a villian, a low-bred fellow, 



THE BORDER RUFFIAN'S BETTER HALF. 39 T 

or. a cold-blooded assassin, and yet were you to credit all that you 
hear, and we regret to add, much that you read, you might 
easily imagine that the Border Ruffian was a horrible compound 
of the three; in fact, a man so utterly degraded as to be unworthy 
of the Bible, and an outlaw, not only in the eyes of Christian men, 
but even to those who tell us weekly from their pulpits, of the 
blessings accorded to the peace-makers, who shall be called the 
children of God. 

Let us, then — who have seen with our own eyes, and heard 
these matters with our personal ears, which are, we assure you, 
quite as long, but no longer than those of other people — sketch 
the inner and mental, as we have already done the outer and 
physical man of this much abused class of our Native American 
brotherhood. 

The Border Ruffian, as the letter half of his sobriquet indi- 
cates, is born and, as he himself would express it, "raised " upon 
the Border. He is generally a person of great endurance, strong 
limbs, iron constitution, and undoubted personal courage ; he 
is, however, subjected to all the intellectual disadvantages and 
deprivations of bodily comforts, which are the inseparable ac- 
companiments of a life upon the frontier. But, if some things 
have been denied, others have been granted ; he can do that, 
my city friend, which you cannot ; we would back him against 
you, and take long odds upon the issue, in a "rough and tum- 
ble " fight ; where you would fail in hitting a barn-door with 
your rifle, he would draw the same weapon upon a squirrel, and 
turn coolly round, with his fore-finger upon the trigger, to ask 
you " where you would have him shot ? in the right eye, or did 
you allow to prefer the other ?" If you can flourish a yard 
stick, my nice young man, he understands the bowie knife ; and 
though he couldn't do much at a " polka redowa n — " first time 
off" — he'd trouble you at a foot-race, and ride the scariest 
horse that ever put you in fear of your life, between Brooklyn 



398 ROUGH, BUT XO RUFFIAN. 

Ferry and John Eyes. Be candid, then, and admit that in 
'physical accomplishments at least, he is your equal. But stay, 
we haven't done with you yet ; we want you to acknowledge 
something more. Would you have done better had you been in 
his place ? Allow a little latitude then, for a difference in 
tastes, pursuits, circumstances, and above all in training. He 
sees the world in his way, not in yours ; habit has taught him 
to consider a "bar fight "good fun, and a well-chinked log- 
cabin a " right smart house." You might consider the one a 
very terrible sort of amusement, and the other hardly fit for a 
cow-shed. What wonder, then, if our Border Ruffian be a little 
rough ? Try it for yourself ; spend six months in his shanty, 
and we will venture to say that, at the end of your probation, 
your dear friend, who used to know you very well upon Broad- 
way, wouldn't be able to "tell tother from which," no, not even 
with the assistance of his best eye-glass. But does it necessarily 
follow that our " outsider" must, therefore, degenerate into a 
beast, or even be lacking in those finer qualifications of head 
and heart, which, after all, make or mar the man ? We an- 
swer, most emphatically, no. For as a general thing, and we 
speak from a very large personal experience of American fron- 
tiersmen, as they really are, we firmly believe that, in these re- 
spects, they will compare — considering their educational defects 
— favorably with the inhabitants of any of our sea-board States, 
and we defy any man or any set of men to prove the contrary. 
Nay, we will even go further, and declare that, were you to test 
this thing, and in so doing, place the man of the log-cabin beside 
the man of our metropolitan mansions, we would, in nine cases out 
of ten, back the Border Ruffian for natural intelligence, sterling 
integrity, and true worth, not to mention honor, against the smooth 
tongued, accurately-attired citizen, and trust confidently to the 
result to uphold our decision. Strike out the names of our self- 
made and rudely-nurtured men from the records of American 



THE MOMENTOUS QUESTION. 399 

genius, literature, enterprise, and patriotism, and then tell us, if 
you please, how much would there be left upon the page, which 
History might find worthy of recording ? We cry shame, there- 
fore, upon the wholesale defamation of our own Far Western cit- 
izens, which has, of late, been scattered broad-cast through the 
land. If the shell be rough, does it then follow that there is no 
sweetness in its kernel ? or must the diamond be deemed value- 
less, because there is no polish upon the stone ? 

And now, a word or two on the other side. Ultra Pro-Sla- 
very men generally, and more particularly the Missourians, are 
but too much in the habit of denouncing every one with whom 
they come in contact — who is known to be a native, or even a 
resident of a Free State — as a fanatic, an Abolitionist, a negro- 
stealer, or, for that matter, almost anything which is bad, low, 
vile, and irreclaimable. They make the question of Slavery, in 
season and out of season, a sine qua non — an all-proving touch- 
stone — by which every man's moral and political character must, 
in their estimation, either stand or fall, as his belief inclines to 
the one side or the other. There is, in fact, but one question 
asked, and that is, " Do you endorse the peculiar institutions of 
the South V } or, as they define it, " Are you all right on the 
goose ?" If you, being Free State born, answer yea, you may 
be believed, or, as frequently happens, be charged openly or in 
secret, with approving a doctrine by words, which you really do 
not endorse at heart. If, on the contrary, you should answer 
nay, then look out for squalls ; you may simply be insulted, but 
in some parts of the country, you might be tarred and feathered, 
and that too, without benefit of clergy. All this, of course, ap- 
plies to a certain class, who are as great fanatics in their way, 
as the most incendiary Eastern Abolitionists, and we regret to 
add that this fillibustering class, under the influence of an ill- 
judged outside pressure, is increasing daily ; indeed, it would 
almost seem that the South was really striving to see the North 



400 FAREWELL. 

in its worst possible light, until, in their legislative assemblies, 
and public meetings, as well as in the editorials of their journals, 
we hear naught but disunion — Southern rights — war to the 
knife — and such like phrases, which must sound badly abroad, 
and ought to be regarded as a national disgrace at home. 

And now, farewell ! Take care of yourselves, good people, 
and if you will go to Kansas, go there as conservative and law- 
abiding men. They feel the want of such persons there now, and 
will, it may be, need them still more in the stormy times to 
come ; for, let the citizens of the United States take it to heart, 
that this disturbance in Kansas means something. At present, 
two thousand conservative men would do more to save Kansas 
and the Union than you 

"•Good easy men, who think full surely that 
Your greatness is a ripening," 

may ever condescend to realize until it is too late. 

Snu" vm futility, f nmtriL 



THE END. 



